Sample records for oxide solid-state electrolyte

Lanthanum gallates are a new family of solid electrolytes that exhibit high ionic conductivity and are stable to high temperatures. Compositions have been developed that are as much as a factor of two more conductive than yttria-stabilized zirconia at a given temperature, through partial replacement of lanthanum by calcium, strontium, and/or barium and through partial replacement of gallium by magnesium. Oxide powders were prepared using combustion synthesis techniques developed in this laboratory; these were sintered to >95% of theoretical density and consisted of a single crystalline phase. Electrical conductivities, electron and ion transference numbers, thermal expansion, and phase behavior were evaluated as a function of temperature and oxygen partial pressure. A key advantage of the use of lanthanum gallate electrolytes in solid oxide fuel cells is that the temperature of operation may be lowered to perhaps 800 C, yet provide approximately the same power density as zirconia-based cells operating at 1000 C. Ceramic electrolytes that conduct both oxygen ions and electrons are potentially useful to passively separate pure oxygen from an air source at low cost. In such materials, an oxygen ion flux in one direction is charge-compensated by an opposing electron flux. The authors have examined a wide range of mixed ion and electron conducting perovskite ceramics in the system La{sub 1{minus}x}M{sub x}Co{sub 1{minus}y{minus}z}Fe{sub y}N{sub z}O{sub 3{minus}{delta}}, where M = Sr, Ca, and Ba, and N = Pr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Ti, and Al, as well as mixed conducting brownmillerite ceramics, and have characterized oxygen permeation behavior, defect chemistry, structural and phase stability, and performance as cathodes.

Direct current reactive sputtering deposition of ruthenium oxide thin films (bottom and top electrodes) at 400°C are performed to produce a solid-state thin-film supercapacitor (TFSC). The supercapacitor has a cell structure of RuO 2/Li 2.94PO 2.37N 0.75 (Lipon)/RuO 2/Pt. Radio frequency, reactive sputtering deposition of an Li 2.94PO 2.37N 0.75 electrolyte film is performed on the bottom RuO 2 film at room temperature to separate the bottom and top RuO 2 electrodes electrically. The stoichiometry of the RuO 2 thin film is investigated by Rutherford back-scattering spectrometry (RBS). X-ray diffraction (XRD) shows that the as-deposited RuO 2 thin film is an amorphous phase. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) measurements reveal that the RuO 2/Lipon/RuO 2 hetero-interfaces have no inter-diffusion problems. Charge-discharge measurements with constant current at room temperature clearly reveal typical supercapacitor behaviour for a RuO 2/Lipon/RuO 2/Pt cell structure. Since the electrolyte thin film has low ionic mobility, the capacity and cycle performance are inferior to those of a bulk type of supercapacitor. These results indicate that a high performance, TFSC can be fabricated by a solid electrolyte thin film with high ionic conductivity.

We investigated the development of a novel lithium garnet-type oxideelectrolyte, which is co-sinterable with a metal oxide cathode, for practical all-solid-state lithium ion batteries using metal oxideelectrolytes. The sintering temperature of Li6.8(La2.95,Ca0.05)(Zr1.75,Nb0.25)O12 was found to significantly lower to 790 °C by addition of Li3BO3 and Al2O3, due to simultaneous interdiffusion of Al and Ca elements between garnet-type oxide and additives. The sintered electrolyte exhibited high lithium ion conductivity of 0.36 mS cm-1 at 25 °C despite of the low sintering temperature. An all-solid-state lithium ion battery was successfully prepared by co-sintering of the electrolyte and LiCoO2 (cathode), followed by coating of Li metal (anode), and confirmed to function well as a secondary battery with charge and discharge capacities of 98 and 78 mAh g-1, respectively. These results opened the potential for fabrication of all-solid-state lithium ion batteries by a simple and well-established co-sintering process.

Research is being done at the Glenn Research Center (GRC) developing new kinds of batteries that do not depend on a solution. Currently, batteries use liquid electrolytes containing lithium. Problems with the liquid electrolyte are (1) solvents used can leak out of the battery, so larger, more restrictive, packages have to be made, inhibiting the diversity of application and decreasing the power density; (2) the liquid is incompatible with the lithium metal anode, so alternative, less efficient, anodes are required. The Materials Department at GRC has been working to synthesize polymer electrolytes that can replace the liquid electrolytes. The advantages are that polymer electrolytes do not have the potential to leak so they can be used for a variety of tasks, small or large, including in the space rover or in space suits. The polymers generated by Dr. Mary Ann Meador's group are in the form of rod -coil structures. The rod aspect gives the polymer structural integrity, while the coil makes it flexible. Lithium ions are used in these polymers because of their high mobility. The coils have repeating units of oxygen which stabilize the positive lithium by donating electron density. This aids in the movement of the lithium within the polymer, which contributes to higher conductivity. In addition to conductivity testing, these polymers are characterized using DSC, TGA, FTIR, and solidstate NMR. Solidstate NMR is used in classifying materials that are not soluble in solvents, such as polymers. The NMR spins the sample at a magic angle (54.7') allowing the significant peaks to emerge. Although solidstate NMR is a helpful technique in determining bonding, the process of preparing the sample and tuning it properly are intricate jobs that require patience; especially since each run takes about six hours. The NMR allows for the advancement of polymer synthesis by showing if the expected results were achieved. Using the NMR, in addition to looking at polymers, allows for

Li10GeP2S12 (LGPS) is incorporated into polyethylene oxide (PEO) matrix to fabricate composite solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) membranes. The lithium ion conductivities of as-prepared composite membranes are evaluated, and the optimal composite membrane exhibits a maximum ionic conductivity of 1.21 × 10-3 S cm-1 at 80 °C and an electrochemical window of 0-5.7 V. The phase transition behaviors for electrolytes are characterized by DSC, and the possible reasons for their enhanced ionic conductivities are discussed. The LGPS microparticles, acting as active fillers incorporation into the PEO matrix, have a positive effect on the ionic conductivity, lithium ion transference number and electrochemical stabilities. In addition, two kinds of all-solid-state lithium batteries (LiFeO4/SPE/Li and LiCoO2/SPE/Li) are fabricated to demonstrate the good compatibility between this new SPE membrane and different electrodes. And the LiFePO4/Li battery exhibits fascinating electrochemical performance with high capacity retention (92.5% after 50 cycles at 60 °C) and attractive capacities of 158, 148, 138 and 99 mAh g-1 at current rates of 0.1 C, 0.2 C, 0.5 C and 1 C at 60 °C, respectively. It is demonstrated that this new composite SPE should be a promising electrolyte applied in solidstate batteries based on lithium metal electrode.

An overview of ion transport in lithium-ion inorganic solidstateelectrolytes is presented, aimed at exploring and designing better electrolyte materials. Ionic conductivity is one of the most important indices of the performance of inorganic solidstateelectrolytes. The general definition of solidstateelectrolytes is presented in terms of their role in a working cell (to convey ions while isolate electrons), and the history of solid electrolyte development is briefly summarized. Ways of using the available theoretical models and experimental methods to characterize lithium-ion transport in solidstateelectrolytes are systematically introduced. Then the various factors that affect ionic conductivity are itemized, including mainly structural disorder, composite materials and interface effects between a solid electrolyte and an electrode. Finally, strategies for future material systems, for synthesis and characterization methods, and for theory and calculation are proposed, aiming to help accelerate the design and development of new solid electrolytes. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51372228), the Shanghai Pujiang Program, China (Grant No. 14PJ1403900), and the Shanghai Institute of Materials Genome from the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission, China (Grant No. 14DZ2261200).

Gel electrolytes have attracted increasing attention for solid-state supercapacitors. An ideal gel electrolyte usually requires a combination of advantages of high ion migration rate, reasonable mechanical strength and robust water retention ability at the solidstate for ensuring excellent work durability. Here we report a zwitterionic gel electrolyte that successfully brings the synergic advantages of robust water retention ability and ion migration channels, manifesting in superior electrochemical performance. When applying the zwitterionic gel electrolyte, our graphene-based solid-state supercapacitor reaches a volume capacitance of 300.8 F cm−3 at 0.8 A cm−3 with a rate capacity of only 14.9% capacitance loss as the current density increases from 0.8 to 20 A cm−3, representing the best value among the previously reported graphene-based solid-state supercapacitors, to the best of our knowledge. We anticipate that zwitterionic gel electrolyte may be developed as a gel electrolyte in solid-state supercapacitors. PMID:27225484

Gel electrolytes have attracted increasing attention for solid-state supercapacitors. An ideal gel electrolyte usually requires a combination of advantages of high ion migration rate, reasonable mechanical strength and robust water retention ability at the solidstate for ensuring excellent work durability. Here we report a zwitterionic gel electrolyte that successfully brings the synergic advantages of robust water retention ability and ion migration channels, manifesting in superior electrochemical performance. When applying the zwitterionic gel electrolyte, our graphene-based solid-state supercapacitor reaches a volume capacitance of 300.8 F cm-3 at 0.8 A cm-3 with a rate capacity of only 14.9% capacitance loss as the current density increases from 0.8 to 20 A cm-3, representing the best value among the previously reported graphene-based solid-state supercapacitors, to the best of our knowledge. We anticipate that zwitterionic gel electrolyte may be developed as a gel electrolyte in solid-state supercapacitors.

Gel electrolytes have attracted increasing attention for solid-state supercapacitors. An ideal gel electrolyte usually requires a combination of advantages of high ion migration rate, reasonable mechanical strength and robust water retention ability at the solidstate for ensuring excellent work durability. Here we report a zwitterionic gel electrolyte that successfully brings the synergic advantages of robust water retention ability and ion migration channels, manifesting in superior electrochemical performance. When applying the zwitterionic gel electrolyte, our graphene-based solid-state supercapacitor reaches a volume capacitance of 300.8 F cm(-3) at 0.8 A cm(-3) with a rate capacity of only 14.9% capacitance loss as the current density increases from 0.8 to 20 A cm(-3), representing the best value among the previously reported graphene-based solid-state supercapacitors, to the best of our knowledge. We anticipate that zwitterionic gel electrolyte may be developed as a gel electrolyte in solid-state supercapacitors. PMID:27225484

This research investigates the design of a quasi-solid-stateelectrolyte for improving the photovoltaic efficiency and long-term performance stability of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In this study, agarose gel and titanium oxide (TiO2) nano-particles are incorporated into an iodine/iodide electrolyte solution in a 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP)/3-methoxypropionitrile (MPN) solvent mixture to fabricate quasi-solid-stateelectrolytes for 2.0-cm2 DSSCs. The electrolyte also contains an ionic liquid, 1-methyl-3-propylimidazolium iodide, and a co-additive, 1-methylbenzimidazole. The negatively charged TiO2 nano-particles exhibit an anatase crystal structure. Without agarose and TiO2, the control cell's photovoltaic efficiency drops by more than 50% over 2400 h of aging due to a significant decrease in the short-circuit current. Incorporating 1% agarose into the electrolyte not only enhances the retention of the solvent but also maintains the short-circuit current. Furthermore, adding 0.5% TiO2 to 1% agarose electrolyte provides sufficient ion and electron transfer routes and improves the fill factor of the corresponding DSSC. The photoconversion efficiency of the agarose/TiO2-containing DSSC monotonically increases from an initial value of 5.08% to 6.48% within 2400 h. The improved cell efficiency is correlated to the longer electron lifetime in the DSSC, higher ion diffusivity, and the smaller electrical resistance of the electrolyte.

High purity oxygen is required for a number of scientific, medical, and industrial applications. Traditionally, these needs have been met by cryogenic distillation or pressure swing adsorption systems designed to separate oxygen from air. Oxygen separation from air via solid-state zirconia electrolyte technology offers an alternative to these methods. The technology has several advantages over the traditional methods, including reliability, compactness, quiet operation, high purity output, and low power consumption.

Electrode properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in an all-solid-state lithium ion battery were investigated using poly-ethylene oxide (PEO) solid electrolyte. Charge-discharge curves of SWCNTs in the solid electrolyte cell were successfully observed. It was found that PEO electrolyte decomposes on the surface of SWCNTs.

A solidstate electrochemical cell (10a) for measuring the concentration of a component of a gas mixture (12) includes first semiconductor electrode (14) and second semiconductor electrode (16) formed from first and second semiconductor materials, respectively. The materials are selected so as to undergo a change in resistivity upon contacting a gas component, such as CO or NO. An electrolyte (18) is provided in contact with the first and second semiconductor electrodes. A reference cell can be included in contact with the electrolyte. Preferably, a voltage response of the first semiconductor electrode is opposite in slope direction to that of the second semiconductor electrode to produce a voltage response equal to the sum of the absolute values of the control system uses measured pollutant concentrations to direct adjustment of engine combustion conditions.

Copper sulfide thin films with electrical switching and memory effect were grown using a chemical vapor reaction apparatus. The formation of copper sulfide film undergoes a process which includes nucleation, growth of nucleation, coalescence into continuous film, and film thickening. The initial phase of the sulfide growth was reaction limited followed by a diffusion limited phase involving out-diffusion of copper. The thin film tends to nucleate and grow at energy favorable sites such as twinning boundary. Sulfidation of polycrystalline copper results in formation of voids at the interface between the copper and its sulfide. (111) copper has the highest sulfidation rate followed by (100) and (110) copper planes. Moreover, the sulfidation rate near the microfabricated plug edge was found to be faster than the rate at the center of the plug. A mechanism based on competing sulfidation sites due to the geometry difference between the plugs' center and their edge is presented to explain this phenomenon. We show for the first time that field-assisted solid-electrolyte copper sulfide thin film device can function as a switch by reversing the voltage polarity between copper and inert metal electrodes through a copper-sulfide layer in planar and vertical structures. The copper oxide at the top of copper sulfide greatly increased the turn-on voltage. The turn-on voltage depends linearly on the film thickness. Copper sulfide devices in micrometer dimension were microfabricated using IC compatible techniques and characterized showing the same switching effect. Electrode contact area effect on switching performance was investigated in term of turn-on voltage, turn-off voltage, on-state resistance and off-state resistance. Four-point resistance measurement unit, Hall Effect and transfer length measurement were also fabricated together with copper sulfide switching devices and they were studied in order to determine the CuxS carrier type, carrier concentration, film resistivity

Two types of high-crystallinity poly(ethylene oxide)/NaPF6 electrolytes with ethylene oxide (EO)/Na molar ratios of 8:1 and 6:1, termed as PEO8:NaPF6 and PEO6:NaPF6 with Mw = 6000 g mol-1 were prepared, and their ionic conductivity, structure, and segmental motions were investigated and compared. PEO8:NaPF6 polymer electrolyte exhibits the room-temperature ionic conductivity 7.7 × 10-7 S cm-1 which is about five times higher than the PEO6:NaPF6. By variable-temperature measurements of static powder spectra and 1H spin-lattice relaxation time in rotation frame (1H T1ρ), we demonstrate that crystalline segments are more highly mobile in the crystalline PEO8:NaPF6 with higher ionic conductivity than in the PEO6:NaPF6 with lower ionic conductivity. The large-angle reorientation motion of polymer segments in the PEO8:NaPF6 onsets at lower temperature (˜233 K) with a low activation energy 0.31 eV that is comparable with that of the pure PEO crystal. Whereas, the large-angle reorientation motion of polymer segments in the PEO6:NaPF6 starts around 313 K with a high activation energy of 0.91 eV. As a result of the temperature-enhanced large-angle reorientations, the 13C static powder lineshape changes markedly from a low-temperature wide pattern with apparent principal values of chemical shift δ33 < δ22 < δ11 to a high-temperature narrow pattern of uniaxial chemical shift anisotropy δ33 > δ22 (δ11). It is suggested that the segmental motion in crystalline PEO-salt complex promotes ionic conductivity.

Dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) is an attractive renewable energy technology currently under intense investigation. Electrolyte plays an important role in the photovoltaic performance of the DSSCs and many efforts have been contributed to study different kinds of electrolytes with various characteristics such as liquid electrolytes, polymer electrolytes and so on. In this study, DSSC is developed by using quasi-solid electrolyte and a novel procedure is adopted for filling this electrolyte. The quasi-solid-stateelectrolyte was prepared by mixing Poly ethylene oxide (PEO) and bismaleimide together and constitution was taken as PEO (15 wt%) at various bismaleimide concentrations (1, 3, 5 wt%). The novel procedure of filling electrolyte consists of three major steps (first step: filling liquid electrolyte, second step: vaporization of liquid electrolyte, third step: refilling quasi-solid-stateelectrolyte). The electrochemical and photovoltaic performances of DSSCs with these electrolytes were also investigated. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) indicated that TiO2/Dye/electrolyte impedance is reduced and electron lifetime is increased, and consequently efficiency of cell has been improved after using this novel procedure. The photovoltaic power conversion efficiency of 6.39% has been achieved under AM 1.5 simulated sunlight (100 W/cm2) through this novel procedure and by using specified blend of polymers. PMID:25971069

Lithium-based rechargeable batteries offer superior specific energy and power, and have enabled exponential growth in industries focused on small electronic devices. However, further increases in energy density, for example for electric transportation, face the challenge of harnessing the lithium metal as negative electrode instead of limited-capacity graphite and its heavy copper current collector. All-solid-state batteries utilize solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) to overcome the safety issues of liquid electrolytes. We demonstrate an all-solid-state lithium-ion battery by using plasticized poly(ethylene oxide)-based SPEs comprising anions grafted or co-grafted onto ceramic nanoparticles. This new approach using grafted ceramic nanoparticles enables the development of a new generation of nanohybrid polymer electrolytes with high ionic conductivity as well as high electrochemical and mechanical stability, enabling Li-ion batteries with long cycle life. PMID:26373359

Solid-state sodium cells using polymer electrolytes (polyethylene oxide mixed with sodium trifluoromethanesulfonate: PEO{sub n}NaCF{sub 3}SO{sub 3}) and sodium cobalt oxide positive electrodes are characterized in terms of discharge and charge characteristics, rate capability, cycle life, and energy and power densities. The P2 phase Na{sub x}CoO{sub 2} can reversibly intercalate sodium in the range of x = 0.3 to 0.9, giving a theoretical specific energy of 440 Wh/kg and energy density of 1,600 Wh/l. Over one hundred cycles to 60% depth of discharge have been obtained at 0.5 mA/cm{sup 2}. Experiments show that the electrolyte/Na interface is stable and is not the limiting factor to cell cycle life. Na{sub 0.7}CoO{sub 2} composite electrodes containing various amounts of carbon black additive are investigated. The transport properties of polymer electrolytes are the critical factors for performance. These properties (the ionic conductivity, salt diffusion coefficient, and ion transference number) are measured for the PEO{sub n}NaCF{sub 3}SO{sub 3} system over a wide range of concentrations at 85 C. All the three transport properties are very salt-concentration dependent. The ionic conductivity exhibits a maximum at about n = 20. The transference number, diffusion coefficient, and thermodynamic factor all vary with salt concentration in a similar fashion, decreasing as the concentration increases, except for a local maximum. These results verify that polymer electrolytes cannot be treated as ideal solutions. The measured transport-property values are used to analyze and optimize the electrolytes by computer simulation and also cell testing. Salt precipitation is believed to be the rate limiting process for cells using highly concentrated solutions, as a result of lower values of these properties, while salt depletion is the limiting factor when a dilute solution is used.

Battery safety has been a very important research area over the past decade. Commercially available lithium ion batteries employ low flash point (<80 °C), flammable, and volatile organic electrolytes. These organic based electrolyte systems are viable at ambient temperatures, but require a cooling system to ensure that temperatures do not exceed 80 °C. These cooling systems tend to increase battery costs and can malfunction which can lead to battery malfunction and explosions, thus endangering human life. Increases in petroleum prices lead to a huge demand for safe, electric hybrid vehicles that are more economically viable to operate as oil prices continue to rise. Existing organic based electrolytes used in lithium ion batteries are not applicable to high temperature automotive applications. A safer alternative to organic electrolytes is solid polymer electrolytes. This work will highlight the synthesis for a graft copolymer electrolyte (GCE) poly(oxyethylene) methacrylate (POEM) to a block with a lower glass transition temperature (Tg) poly(oxyethylene) acrylate (POEA). The conduction mechanism has been discussed and it has been demonstrated the relationship between polymer segmental motion and ionic conductivity indeed has a Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher (VTF) dependence. Batteries containing commercially available LP30 organic (LiPF6 in ethylene carbonate (EC):dimethyl carbonate (DMC) at a 1:1 ratio) and GCE were cycled at ambient temperature. It was found that at ambient temperature, the batteries containing GCE showed a greater overpotential when compared to LP30 electrolyte. However at temperatures greater than 60 °C, the GCE cell exhibited much lower overpotential due to fast polymer electrolyte conductivity and nearly the full theoretical specific capacity of 170 mAh/g was accessed. PMID:23963203

Battery safety has been a very important research area over the past decade. Commercially available lithium ion batteries employ low flash point (< 80 °C), flammable, and volatile organic electrolytes. These organic based electrolyte systems are viable at ambient temperatures, but require a cooling system to ensure that temperatures do not exceed 80 °C. These cooling systems tend to increase battery costs and can malfunction which can lead to battery malfunction and explosions, thus endangering human life. Increases in petroleum prices lead to a huge demand for safe, electric hybrid vehicles that are more economically viable to operate as oil prices continue to rise. Existing organic based electrolytes used in lithium ion batteries are not applicable to high temperature automotive applications. A safer alternative to organic electrolytes is solid polymer electrolytes. This work will highlight the synthesis for a graft copolymer electrolyte (GCE) poly(oxyethylene) methacrylate (POEM) to a block with a lower glass transition temperature (Tg) poly(oxyethylene) acrylate (POEA). The conduction mechanism has been discussed and it has been demonstrated the relationship between polymer segmental motion and ionic conductivity indeed has a Vogel-Tammann-Fulcher (VTF) dependence. Batteries containing commercially available LP30 organic (LiPF6 in ethylene carbonate (EC):dimethyl carbonate (DMC) at a 1:1 ratio) and GCE were cycled at ambient temperature. It was found that at ambient temperature, the batteries containing GCE showed a greater overpotential when compared to LP30 electrolyte. However at temperatures greater than 60 °C, the GCE cell exhibited much lower overpotential due to fast polymer electrolyte conductivity and nearly the full theoretical specific capacity of 170 mAh/g was accessed. PMID:23963203

A proton conducting gel polymer electrolyte system; PMMA+NH{sub 4}SCN+EC/PC, has been prepared. The highest ionic conductivity obtained from the system is 2.5 × 10−4 S cm{sup −1}. The optimized composition of the gel electrolyte has been used to fabricate a proton battery with Zn/ZnSO{sub 4}⋅7H{sub 2}O anode and MnO{sub 2} cathode. The open circuit voltage of the battery is 1.4 V and the highest energy density is 5.7 W h kg−1 for low current drain.

We propose that graphene quantum dots (GQDs) with a sufficient number of acidic oxygen-bearing functional groups such as -COOH and -OH can serve as solution- and solid- type electrolytes for supercapacitors. Moreover, we found that the ionic conductivity and ion-donating ability of the GQDs could be markedly improved by simply neutralizing their acidic functional groups by using KOH. These neutralized GQDs as the solution- or solid-type electrolytes greatly enhanced the capacitive performance and rate capability of the supercapacitors. The reason for the enhancement can be ascribed to the fully ionization of the weak acidic oxygen-bearing functional groups after neutralization. PMID:26763275

Nanostructured block copolymer electrolytes containing an ion-conducting block and a modulus-strengthening block are of interest for applications in solid-state lithium metal batteries. These materials can self-assemble into well-defined microstructures, creating conducting channels that facilitate ion transport. The overall objective of this dissertation is to gain a better understanding of the behavior of salt-containing block copolymers, and evaluate their potential for use in solid-state lithium/sulfur batteries. Anionically synthesized polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (SEO) copolymers doped with lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) salt were used as a model system. This thesis investigates the model system on several levels: from fundamental thermodynamic studies to bulk characterization and finally device assembly and testing. First, the thermodynamics of neat and salt-containing block copolymers was studied. The addition of salt to these materials is necessary to make them conductive, however even small amounts of salt can have significant effects on their phase behavior, and consequently their iontransport and mechanical properties. As a result, the effect of salt addition on block copolymer thermodynamics has been the subject of significant interest over the last decade. A comprehensive study of the thermodynamics of block copolymer/salt mixtures over a wide range of molecular weights, compositions, salt concentrations and temperatures was conducted. Next, the effect of molecular weight on ion transport in both homopolymer and copolymer electrolytes were studied over a wide range of chain lengths. Homopolymer electrolytes show an inverse relationship between conductivity and chain length, with a plateau in the infinite molecular weight limit. This is due to the presence of two mechanisms of ion conduction in homopolymers; the first mechanism is a result of the segmental motion of the chains surrounding the salt ions, 2 creating a liquid

Study of the solid electrolyte ZnCl2-2NH3 rechargeable silver zinc electrochemical cell by X-ray diffraction analysis of the reaction products led to the conclusion that some water is consumed when the cell is discharged. Replacement of ZnCl2-2NH3 by ZnCl2-4Zn(OH)2 gave cells with high internal resistance and limited capacity. The salt formed by exposing a fibrous membrane saturated with ZnCl2 solution to fumes from ammonium carbonate in a dry desiccator comprised ZnCl2-4Zn(OH)2, ZnCl2,3NH4Cl and a third unidentified component. The temperature coefficient of open circuit EMF was nearly zero over the range from -25 C to 50 C. The internal resistance and polarization increased substantially below -25 C. There is some indication that exposure to 50 C for 29 hours causes some deterioration.

Embodiments of a solid-stateelectrolyte comprising magnesium borohydride, polyethylene oxide, and optionally a Group IIA or transition metal oxide are disclosed. The solid-stateelectrolyte may be a thin film comprising a dispersion of magnesium borohydride and magnesium oxide nanoparticles in polyethylene oxide. Rechargeable magnesium batteries including the disclosed solid-stateelectrolyte may have a coulombic efficiency .gtoreq.95% and exhibit cycling stability for at least 50 cycles.

A hybrid gel-solid-state polymer electrolyte has been used as the separator and an electrolyte for lithium oxygen batteries. It can not only avoid electrolyte evaporation but also protect the lithium metal anode during reactions over long-term cycling. Due to its high ionic conductivity and low activation energy, excellent cycling performance is demonstrated, in which the terminal voltage is higher than 2.2 V after 140 cycles at 0.4 mA cm(-2), with a capacity of 1000 mA h g(composite)(-1). PMID:25874974

Solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation in lithium ion cells prepared with advanced electrolytes is investigated by solidstate multinuclear (7Li, 19F, 31P) magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements of electrode materials harvested from cycled cells subjected to an accelerated aging protocol. The electrolyte composition is varied to include the addition of fluorinated carbonates and triphenyl phosphate (TPP, a flame retardant). In addition to species associated with LiPF6 decomposition, cathode NMR spectra are characterized by the presence of compounds originating from the TPP additive. Substantial amounts of LiF are observed in the anodes as well as compounds originating from the fluorinated carbonates.

The scientific basis of all-solid-state lithium batteries with inorganic solid electrolytes is reviewed briefly, touching upon solid electrolytes, electrode materials, electrolyte/electrode interface phenomena, fabrication, and evaluation. The challenges and prospects are outlined as well. Project supported by the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2013AA050906), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51172250 and 51202265), the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDA09010201), and Zhejiang Province Key Science and Technology Innovation Team, China (Grant No. 2013PT16).

Interfacial redox behavior of a heme protein (hemoglobin) confined in a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, Nafion (a perfluoro sulfonic acid ionomer) is investigated using a unique 'all-solid-state' electrochemical methodology. The supple phase-separated structure of the polymer electrolyte membrane, with hydrophilic pools containing solvated protons and water molecules, is found to preserve the incorporated protein in its active form even in the solid-state, using UV-visible, Fluorescence (of Tryptophan and Tyrosine residues) and DRIFT (diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform) spectroscopy. More specifically, solid-state cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance of the protein-incorporated polymer films reveal that the Fe{sup 2+}-form of the entrapped protein is found to bind molecular oxygen more strongly than the native protein. In the 'all-solid-state' methodology, as there is no need to dip the protein-modified electrode in a liquid electrolyte (like the conventional electrochemical methods), it offers an easier means to study a number of proteins in a variety of polymer matrices (even biomimetic assemblies). In addition, the results of the present investigation could find interesting application in a variety of research disciplines, in addition to its fundamental scientific interest, including protein biotechnology, pharmaceutical and biomimetic chemistry.

This Review is focused on ion-transport mechanisms and fundamental properties of solid-stateelectrolytes to be used in electrochemical energy-storage systems. Properties of the migrating species significantly affecting diffusion, including the valency and ionic radius, are discussed. The natures of the ligand and metal composing the skeleton of the host framework are analyzed and shown to have large impacts on the performance of solid-stateelectrolytes. A comprehensive identification of the candidate migrating species and structures is carried out. Not only the bulk properties of the conductors are explored, but the concept of tuning the conductivity through interfacial effects-specifically controlling grain boundaries and strain at the interfaces-is introduced. High-frequency dielectric constants and frequencies of low-energy optical phonons are shown as examples of properties that correlate with activation energy across many classes of ionic conductors. Experimental studies and theoretical results are discussed in parallel to give a pathway for further improvement of solid-stateelectrolytes. Through this discussion, the present Review aims to provide insight into the physical parameters affecting the diffusion process, to allow for more efficient and target-oriented research on improving solid-state ion conductors. PMID:26713396

All-solid-state lithium-ion batteries have the potential to not only push the current limits of energy density by utilizing Li metal, but also improve safety by avoiding flammable organic electrolyte. However, understanding the role of solid electrolyte - electrode interfaces will be critical to improve performance. In this study, we conducted long term cycling on commercially available lithium cobalt oxide (LCO)/lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON)/lithium (Li) cells at elevated temperature to investigate the interfacial phenomena that lead to capacity decay. STEM-EELS analysis of samples revealed a previously unreported disordered layer between the LCO cathode and LiPON electrolyte. This electrochemically inactive layer grew in thickness leading to loss of capacity and increase of interfacial resistance when cycled at 80 °C. The stabilization of this layer through interfacial engineering is crucial to improve the long term performance of thin-film batteries especially under thermal stress.

All-solid-state lithium-ion batteries have the potential to not only push the current limits of energy density by utilizing Li metal, but also improve safety by avoiding flammable organic electrolyte. However, understanding the role of solid electrolyte - electrode interfaces will be critical to improve performance. In this study, we conducted long term cycling on commercially available lithium cobalt oxide (LCO)/lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON)/lithium (Li) cells at elevated temperature to investigate the interfacial phenomena that lead to capacity decay. STEM-EELS analysis of samples revealed a previously unreported disordered layer between the LCO cathode and LiPON electrolyte. This electrochemically inactive layer grew in thickness leading to loss of capacity and increase of interfacial resistance when cycled at 80 °C. The stabilization of this layer through interfacial engineering is crucial to improve the long term performance of thin-film batteries especially under thermal stress.

A fluorine-doped antiperovskite Li-ion conductor Li2 (OH)X (X=Cl, Br) is shown to be a promising candidate for a solid electrolyte in an all-solid-state Li-ion rechargeable battery. Substitution of F(-) for OH(-) transforms orthorhombic Li2 OHCl to a room-temperature cubic phase, which shows electrochemical stability to 9 V versus Li(+) /Li and two orders of magnitude higher Li-ion conductivity than that of orthorhombic Li2 OHCl. An all-solid-state Li/LiFePO4 with F-doped Li2 OHCl as the solid electrolyte showed good cyclability and a high coulombic efficiency over 40 charge/discharge cycles. PMID:27356953

Solid-stateelectrolytes such as cubic Li6.25Al0.25La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) can enable solid-state batteries, metallic lithium anodes and higher voltage cathodes. However, the stability of cubic LLZO is affected by current density. In beta alumina solid electrolyte, microstructural failure was caused by Na dendrite penetration, and was shown to be a function of the fracture toughness, KIC. The relationship between dendrite penetration and KIC indicates electronic failure is related to creation of microstructural damage, and the microstructural damage may be used as an indicator of imminent electronic failure. To monitor microstructural damage during cycling, we developed a non-invasive, in-situ cell monitoring apparatus to help to correlate mechanical stability with Li-ion current density in LLZO. A pulse-echo transducer was integrated into all solid-state Li-LLZO-Li cells. The capability enables the characterization of microscopic inhomogeneities through the careful measurement of changes to the elastic moduli. The elastic moduli and fracture toughness have been previously reported for dense (>99%) specimens, but monitoring of the relative change in moduli during cycling has not been explored. In this study, an acoustic monitoring method is presented to monitor LLZO specimens during cycling.

The introduction of poly(ether urethane) (PEUR) into polymer electrolyte based on poly(ethylene oxide), LiI and I2, has significantly increased the ionic conductivity by nearly two orders of magnitudes. An increment of I-3 diffusion coefficient is also observed. All-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells are constructed using the polymer electrolytes. It was found that PEUR incorporation has a beneficial effect on the enhancement of open circuit voltage Voc by shifting the band edge of TiO2 to a negative value. Scanning electron microscope images indicate the perfect interfacial contact between the TiO2 electrode and the blend electrolyte.

Aluminum-air (Al-air) battery is one of the most promising candidates for next-generation energy storage systems because of its high capacity and energy density, and abundance. The polyacrylic acid (PAA)-based alkaline gel electrolyte is used in all-solid-state Al-air batteries instead of aqueous electrolytes to prevent leakage. The optimal gel electrolyte exhibits an ionic conductivity of 460 mS cm-1, which is close to that of aqueous electrolytes. The Al-air battery peak capacity and energy density considering only Al can reach 1166 mAh g-1-Al and 1230 mWh g-1-Al, respectively, during constant current discharge. The battery prototype also exhibits a high power density of 91.13 mW cm-2. For the battery is a laminated structure, area densities of 29.2 mAh cm-2 and 30.8 mWh cm-2 are presented to appraise the performance of the whole cell. A novel design to inhibit anodic corrosion is proposed by separating the Al anode from the gel electrolyte when not in use, thereby effectively maintaining the available capacity of the battery.

Finding new ionic conductors that enable significant advancements in the development of energy-storage devices is a challenging goal of current material science. Aside of material classes as ionic liquids or amorphous ion conductors, the so-called plastic crystals (PCs) have been shown to be good candidates combining high conductivity and favorable mechanical properties. PCs are formed by molecules whose orientational degrees of freedom still fluctuate despite the material exhibits a well-defined crystalline lattice. In the present work, we show that the conductivity of Li+ ions in succinonitrile, the most prominent molecular PC electrolyte, can be enhanced by several decades when replacing part of the molecules in the crystalline lattice by larger ones. Dielectric spectroscopy reveals that this is accompanied by a stronger coupling of ionic and reorientational motions. These findings, which can be understood in terms of an optimized "revolving door" mechanism, open a new path towards the development of better solid-stateelectrolytes.

In the context of the development of electric vehicle to solve the contemporary energy and environmental issues, the possibility of pushing future application of Li-O2 batteries as a power source for electric vehicles is particularly attractive. However, safety concerns, mainly derived from the use of flammable organic liquid electrolytes, become a major bottleneck for the strategically crucial applications of Li-O2 batteries. To overcome this issue, rechargeable solid-state Li-O2 batteries with enhanced safety is regarded as an appealing candidate. In this study, a hybrid quasi-solid-stateelectrolyte combing a polymer electrolyte with a ceramic electrolyte is first designed and explored for Li-O2 batteries. The proposed rechargeable solid-state Li-O2 battery delivers improved cycle life (>100 cycles) and safety. The feasibility study demonstrates that the hybrid quasi-solid-stateelectrolytes could be employed as a promising alternative strategy for the development of rechargeable Li-O2 batteries, hence encouraging more efforts devoted to explore other hybrid solid-stateelectrolytes for Li-O2 batteries upon future application. PMID:27487523

All solid-state lithium batteries are constructed by using highly conducting Ta-doped Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZTO) as the solid electrolytes as well as the supports, coated with composite cathodes consisting of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVdF):LiTFSI, Ketjen Black, and carbon-coated LiFePO4 on one side and attached with Li anode on the other side. At 60 °C, the batteries show the first discharge capacity of 150 mAh g-1 at 0.05 C and 93% capacity retention after 100 cycles. As the current density increases from 0.05 C to 1 C, the specific capacity decreases from 150 mAh g-1 to 100 mAh g-1. Further elevated temperature up to 100 °C leads to further improved performance, i.e. 126 mAh g-1 at 1 C and 99% capacity retention after 100 cycles. This good performance can be attributed to the highly conducting ceramic electrolytes, the optimum electronic and ionic conducting networks in the composite cathodes, and closely contacted cathode/LLZTO interface. These results indicate that the present strategy is promising for development of high-performance solid-state Li-ion batteries operated at medium temperature.

Nowadays, to prepare all solid-state lithium metal batteries with high rate capability and stability using solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) is still a grand challenge because of the interfaces between the SPE and the electrodes. In this presentation, we report a series of hybrid SPEs with controlled network structures by using POSS as cross-linker. These hybrid network SPEs show promising ionic conductivity, mechanical properties, and lithium dendrite growth resistance. All solid-state LiFePO4/Li batteries were also prepared using these SPEs as the electrolytes to study the effect of conductivity and mechanical properties of the SPEs on the performance of the batteries. At 90 °C, the prepared cells show high rate capability and stability. Capacity up to 160 mAh/g can be obtained at a C/2 rate during the galvanostatic cycling. Capacity retention of the cells is higher than 80% after 250 cycles. Battery performance at 60 °C and decay mechanism of the batteries will also be discussed.

An anthracite slurry can be oxidized only with difficulty by electrolytic methods in which aqueous electrolytes are used if the slurry is confined to the region of the anode by a porous pot or diaphragm. However, it can be easily oxidized if the anthracite itself is used as the anode. No porous pot or diaphragm is needed. Oxidative consumption of the coal to alkali-soluble compounds is found to proceed preferentially at the edges of the aromatic planes. An oxidation model is proposed in which the chief oxidants are molecular and radical species formed by the electrolytic decomposition of water at the coal surface-electrolyte interface. The oxidation reactions proposed account for the opening of the aromatic rings and the subsequent formation of carboxylic acids. The model also explains the observed anisotropic oxidation and the need for the porous pot or diaphragm used in previous studies of the oxidation of coal slurries. ?? 1981.

Low-voltage WOx gated indium-zinc-oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs) with in-plane-gate structures are fabricated by using an extremely simplified one-shadow mask method at room temperature. The proton conductive WOx solid-stateelectrolyte is demonstrated to form an electric-double-layer (EDL) effect associated with a huge capacitance of 0.51 μF/cm2. The special EDL capacitance of the WOx electrolyte is also extended to novel in-plane-gate structure TFTs as the gate dielectric, reducing the operating voltage to 1.8 V. Such TFTs operate at n-type depletion mode with a threshold voltage of -0.5 V, saturation electron mobility of 13.2 cm2/V·s, ON/OFF ratio of 1.7 × 106, subthreshold swing of 110 mV/dec, and low leakage current less than 7 nA. The hysteresis window of the transfer curves is also explained by an unique reaction within the WOx electrolyte.

Completely amorphous, flexible, solid-state polymer electrolyte membranes (ss-PEM) consisted of polyethylene glycol diacrylate /succinonitrile plasticizer (SCN)/lithium trifluorosulfonyl imide were fabricated via UV polymerization. The room temperature ionic conductivity of our ss-PEM is extremely high (i.e., 10-3S/cm), which is already in the superionic conductor range of inorganic and/or liquid electrolyte counterparts. Of particular interest is that our ss-PEM is thermally stable up to 140°C, which is superior to the liquid electrolyte counterpart that degrades above 80°C. The ss-PEM exhibits cyclic stability in both LiFePO4/Li and Li4Ti5O12 /Li half-cells up to 50 cycles tested. The trend of conductivity enhancement with temperature is reproducible in the repeated cycles, showing melting transitions of the SCN plastic crystals. In the compositions close to the solid (SCN plastic crystal)-liquid coexistence line, polymerization-induced crystallization occurs during photo-curing. The effect of solid-liquid segregation on ionic conductivity behavior is discussed. Supported by NSF-DMR 1161070.

Ionic diffusion through the novel (AlxMg1-2xLix)Al2O4 spinel electrolyte is investigated using first-principles calculations, combined with the Kinetic Monte Carlo algorithm. We observe that the ionic diffusion increases with the lithium content x. Furthermore, the structural parameters, formation enthalpies and electronic structures of (AlxMg1-2xLix)Al2O4 are calculated for various stoichiometries. The overall results indicate the (AlxMg1-2xLix)Al2O4 stoichiometries x = 0.2…0.3 as most promising. The (AlxMg1-2xLix)Al2O4 electrolyte is a potential candidate for the all-spinel solid-state battery stack, with the material epitaxially grown between well-known spinel electrodes, such as LiyMn2O4 and Li4+3yTi5O12 (y = 0…1). Due to their identical crystal structure, a good electrolyte-electrode interface is expected. PMID:24503944

A solidstateelectrolyte cells apparatus and method of producing is disclosed. The apparatus can be used for separating oxygen from an oxygen-containing feedstock or as a fuel cell for reacting fluids. Cells can be stacked so that fluids can be introduced and removed from the apparatus through ceramic distribution members having ports designed for distributing the fluids in parallel flow to and from each cell. The distribution members can also serve as electrodes to membranes or as membrane members between electrodes. The distribution member design does not contain any horizontal internal ports which allows the member to be thin. A method of tape casting in combination with an embossing method allows intricate radial ribs and bosses to be formed on each distribution member. The bosses serve as seals for the ports and allow the distribution members to be made without any horizontal internal ports.

A solidstateelectrolyte cells apparatus and method of producing is disclosed. The apparatus can be used for separating oxygen from an oxygen-containing feedstock or as a fuel cell for reacting fluids. Cells can be stacked so that fluids can be introduced and removed from the apparatus through ceramic distribution members having ports designed for distributing the fluids in parallel flow to and from each cell. The distribution members can also serve as electrodes to membranes or as membrane members between electrodes, The distribution member design does not contain any horizontal internal ports which allows the member to be thin. A method of tape casting in combination with an embossing method allows intricate radial ribs and bosses to be formed on each distribution member. The bosses serve as seals for the ports and allow the distribution members to be made without any horizontal internal ports.

With increasing demand for electrical power on a distribution grid lacking storage capabilities, utilities and project developers must stabilize what is currently still intermittent energy production. In fact, over half of utility executives say "the most important emerging energy technology" is energy storage. Advanced, low-cost battery designs are providing promising stationary storage solutions that can ensure reliable, high-quality power for customers, but research challenges and questions lefts. Have lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) reached their technical limit? The industry demands are including high costs, inadequate energy densities, long recharge times, short cycle-life times and safety must be continually addressed. Safety is still the main problem on developing the lithium ion battery.The safety issue must be considered from several aspects, since it would become serious problems, such as an explosion in a Japan Airlines 787 Dreamliner's cargo hold, due to the battery problem. The combustion is mainly due to the leakage or shortcut of the electrodes, caused by the liquid electrolyte and polymer separator. For this reason, the research on solid electrolyte for replacing the existing liquid electrolyte is very important. The materials used in existing lithium ion battery, such as a separator and liquid electrolyte must be replaced to new solid electrolytes, solid materials that exhibits high ionic conductivity. Due to these reasons, research on solidstate ionics materials have been vastly growing worldwide, with the main aim not only to search new solid electrolyte to replace the liquid one, but also looking for low cost materials and environmentally friendly. A revolutionary paradigm is also required to design new stable anode and cathode materials that provide electrochemical cells with high energy, high power, long lifetime and adequate safety at competitive manufacturing costs. Lithium superionic conductors, which can be used as solid electrolytes

Extreme localized superheating and homogeneous vapor bubble nucleation have recently been demonstrated in a single nanopore in thin, solidstate membranes. Aqueous electrolytic solution within the pore is superheated to well above its boiling point by Joule heating from ionic current driven through the pore. Continued heating of the metastable liquid leads to nucleation of a vapor bubble in the pore followed by explosive growth. Here we report on the growth dynamics of the vapor bubble after nucleation in the strongly superheated liquid. The process is modeled by numerically solving the Rayleigh-Plesset equation coupled with energy conservation and a Stefan boundary condition. The initial temperature distribution, peaked at the pore center, is taken to be radially symmetric. Energy conservation includes a Joule heating source term dependent on the bubble radius, which grows to constrict ionic current through the nanopore. Temperature-dependent properties of the electrolyte and the vapor are incorporated in the calculation. Comparison of the model to experimental results shows an initial bubble growth velocity of 50m/s and total bubble lifetime of 16ns. This work was supported by NIH Grant #5R01HG003703 to J.A. Golovchenko.

SolidState Image Sensors (SSIS) which convert light into an electrical signal are introduced and transparent conductive materials and their deposition methods are reviewed as a solution to imager problems. The development of basic tools to enable replacement of poly-Si by Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) in SSIS is addressed. The installation and optimization of deposition equipment, the development of deposition and process technology of ITO, and the implementation and application of ITO in an image sensor are studied. Deposition rate and homogeneity and morphology and parameters like gas composition, power, pressure and substrate temperature are considered. Scope is limited to a first generation frame transfer imager with only one ITO layer although some concepts of an all ITO imager are discussed. The sensor used is a redesign of the accordion imager. All requirements imposed on ITO were met and the usefulness of the developed technology was demonstrated by implementing ITO in an imager. The characteristics of a constructed frame-transfer image sensor in which half the gates in the light sensitive part were replaced by ITO gates are discussed.

The development of high energy-density lithium-ion secondary batteries as storage batteries in vehicles is attracting increasing attention. In this study, high-voltage bipolar stacked batteries with a quasi-solid-stateelectrolyte containing a Li-Glyme complex were prepared, and the performance of the device was evaluated. Via the successful production of double-layered and triple-layered high-voltage devices, it was confirmed that these stacked batteries operated properly without any internal short-circuits of a single cell within the package: Their plateau potentials (6.7 and 10.0 V, respectively) were two and three times that (3.4 V) of the single-layered device, respectively. Further, the double-layered device showed a capacity retention of 99% on the 200th cycle at 0.5 C, which is an indication of good cycling properties. These results suggest that bipolar stacked batteries with a quasi-solid-stateelectrolyte containing a Li-Glyme complex could readily produce a high voltage of 10 V. PMID:25746860

The development of high energy–density lithium-ion secondary batteries as storage batteries in vehicles is attracting increasing attention. In this study, high-voltage bipolar stacked batteries with a quasi-solid-stateelectrolyte containing a Li-Glyme complex were prepared, and the performance of the device was evaluated. Via the successful production of double-layered and triple-layered high-voltage devices, it was confirmed that these stacked batteries operated properly without any internal short-circuits of a single cell within the package: Their plateau potentials (6.7 and 10.0 V, respectively) were two and three times that (3.4 V) of the single-layered device, respectively. Further, the double-layered device showed a capacity retention of 99% on the 200th cycle at 0.5 C, which is an indication of good cycling properties. These results suggest that bipolar stacked batteries with a quasi-solid-stateelectrolyte containing a Li-Glyme complex could readily produce a high voltage of 10 V. PMID:25746860

All solid-state organic ionic plastic crystal-polymer nanofibre composite electrolytes are described for the first time. The new composite materials exhibit enhanced conductivity, excellent thermal, mechanical and electrochemical stability and allow the production of optically transparent, free-standing, flexible, thin film electrolytes (10's μms thick) for application in electrochemical devices. Stable cycling of a lithium cell incorporating the new composite electrolyte is demonstrated, including cycling at lower temperatures than previously possible with the pure material. PMID:23753038

Amorphous lithium phosphorus oxynitride (LiPON) solid-state thin-film electrolyte has been deposited and characterized. The thin films were prepared by rf magnetron sputtering under various substrate biases. By fabricating under different substrate biases and applying low temperature annealing (473 K), the properties of the LiPON thin-film electrolytes and the electrolyte/cathode interfaces were modified. The ionic conductivity as high as 9.4x10{sup -4} S m{sup -1} can be obtained by depositing at optimal bias. The performances of the consequently fabricated SnO{sub 2}/LiPON/LiMn{sub 2}O{sub 4} all-solid-state lithium ion thin-film batteries were improved using the bias sputtering technique, due to the enhanced the ionic conductivity and uniform interface.

Four Ionic Liquid based Polymer Electrolytes (IL-b-PE) were prepared by blending a Polymeric Ionic Liquid, Poly(diallyldimethylammonium) bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (PILTFSI), with four different ionic liquids: 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (PYR14TFSI) (IL-b-PE1), 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (PYR14FSI) (IL-b-PE2), 1-(2-hydroxy ethyl)-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (HEMimTFSI) (IL-b-PE3), and 1-Butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium dicyanamide, (PYR14DCA) (IL-b-PE4). Physicochemical properties of IL-b-PE such as ionic conductivity, thermal and electrochemical stability were found to be dependent on the IL properties. For instance, ionic conductivity was significantly higher for IL-b-PE2 and IL-b-PE4 containing IL with small size anions (FSI and DCA) than IL-b-PE1 and IL-b-PE3 bearing IL with bigger anion (TFSI). On the other hand, wider electrochemical stability window (ESW) was found for IL-b-PE1 and IL-b-PE2 having ILs with electrochemically stable pyrrolidinium cation and FSI and TFSI anions. Solidstate Supercapacitors (SCs) were assembled with activated carbon electrodes and their electrochemical performance was correlated with the polymer electrolyte properties. Best performance was obtained with SC having IL-b-PE2 that exhibited a good compromise between ionic conductivity and electrochemical window. Specific capacitance (Cam), real energy (Ereal) & real power densities (Preal) as high as 150 F g-1, 36 Wh kg-1 & 1170 W kg-1 were found at operating voltage of 3.5 V.

A cathode and a solidstate electrochemical cell comprising said cathode, a solid anode and solid fluoride ion conducting electrolyte. The cathode comprises a metal oxide and a compound fluoride containing at least two metals with different valences. Representative compound fluorides include solid solutions of bismuth fluoride and potassium fluoride; and lead fluoride and potassium fluoride. Representative metal oxides include copper oxide, lead oxide, manganese oxide, vanadium oxide and silver oxide.

Pursuit of a high efficiency and stability has been a persistent objective for quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSCs). Here we launch a strategy of synthesizing graphene implanted polyacrylamide (PAAm-G) conducting gel electrolytes for quasi-solid-state QDSCs. With an aim of elevating the dosage of S2-/Sx2- redox couples and therefore charge-transfer ability, both osmotic press across the PAAm-G and capillary force within the three-dimensional micropores are utilized as driving forces. A promising power conversion efficiency of 2.34% is recorded for the QDSCs by optimizing graphene dosage in the conducting gel electrolyte. The enhanced conversion efficiency of solar cell is attributed to the expanded catalytic area from counter electrolyte/electrolyte interface to both interface and the conducting gel electrolyte.

Polymer solidstateelectrolytes are actively sought for their potential application in energy storage devices, particularly lithium metal rechargeable batteries. Herein, we report a polymer with high concentration salts as a quasi-solidstateelectrolyte used for lithium-sulfur cells, which shows an ionic conductivity of 1.6 mS cm(-1) at room temperature. The cycling performance of Li-S battery with this electrolyte shows a long cycle life (300 cycles) and high coulombic efficiency (>98%), without any consuming additives in the electrolyte. Moreover, it also shows a remarkably decreased self-discharge (only 0.2%) after storage for two weeks at room temperature. The reason can be attributed to that the electrolyte can suppress polysulfide anions diffusion, due to the high ratio oxygen atoms with negative charges which induce an electrical repulsion to the polysulfide anions, and their relatively long chains which can provide additional steric hindrance. Thus, the polysulfide anions can be located around carbon particles, which result in remarkably improved overall electrochemical performance, and also the electrolyte have a function of suppress the formation of lithium dendrites on the lithium anode surface. PMID:27146645

Polymer solidstateelectrolytes are actively sought for their potential application in energy storage devices, particularly lithium metal rechargeable batteries. Herein, we report a polymer with high concentration salts as a quasi-solidstateelectrolyte used for lithium-sulfur cells, which shows an ionic conductivity of 1.6 mS cm‑1 at room temperature. The cycling performance of Li-S battery with this electrolyte shows a long cycle life (300 cycles) and high coulombic efficiency (>98%), without any consuming additives in the electrolyte. Moreover, it also shows a remarkably decreased self-discharge (only 0.2%) after storage for two weeks at room temperature. The reason can be attributed to that the electrolyte can suppress polysulfide anions diffusion, due to the high ratio oxygen atoms with negative charges which induce an electrical repulsion to the polysulfide anions, and their relatively long chains which can provide additional steric hindrance. Thus, the polysulfide anions can be located around carbon particles, which result in remarkably improved overall electrochemical performance, and also the electrolyte have a function of suppress the formation of lithium dendrites on the lithium anode surface.

Polymer solidstateelectrolytes are actively sought for their potential application in energy storage devices, particularly lithium metal rechargeable batteries. Herein, we report a polymer with high concentration salts as a quasi-solidstateelectrolyte used for lithium-sulfur cells, which shows an ionic conductivity of 1.6 mS cm−1 at room temperature. The cycling performance of Li-S battery with this electrolyte shows a long cycle life (300 cycles) and high coulombic efficiency (>98%), without any consuming additives in the electrolyte. Moreover, it also shows a remarkably decreased self-discharge (only 0.2%) after storage for two weeks at room temperature. The reason can be attributed to that the electrolyte can suppress polysulfide anions diffusion, due to the high ratio oxygen atoms with negative charges which induce an electrical repulsion to the polysulfide anions, and their relatively long chains which can provide additional steric hindrance. Thus, the polysulfide anions can be located around carbon particles, which result in remarkably improved overall electrochemical performance, and also the electrolyte have a function of suppress the formation of lithium dendrites on the lithium anode surface. PMID:27146645

This thesis work is about the experimental measurement of electronic and ionic conductivities in the MgAl2O4 spinel at 500˜600°C range and exploring the fundamental origin of solid-state galvanic cell behavior in the cell of Al|MgAl2O4|Mg, Al|MgAl2O 4|C, and Mg|MgAl2O4|C, in which at least one metal electrode in common with the composition of the electrolyte. For the electronic conductivity measurement, we have used the ion-blocking Gold and Carbon electrodes which are inert with both Mg and Al ions to suppress the ionic conduction from the total conduction. DC polarization method was used to measure the conduction through Au|MgAl2O4|Au and C|MgAl2O4|C specimens. The measured electrical conductivity using Au|MgAl2O4|Au and C|MgAl2O4|C specimens showed 10-9.3 ˜ 10-8.4 (O·cm) -1 at 600˜720°C range following the Arrhenius-type relation. These conductivity data are in agreement with reported data obtained from Pt and Ag ion-blocking electrodes deposited on MgAl2O4 specimens. For the ionic conductivity measurement, we have used the non-blocking Al and Mg electrodes for Al and Mg ionic conductivities, respectively. Ionic conductivity measurement of Al and Mg in separate manner has not been reported yet. In both Al|MgAl2O4|Al and Mg|MgAl2O 4|Mg specimens, gradual increase of conduction was observed once at the initial period before it reaches the steady state conduction. By DC method on the range of 580˜650°C, steady state Al ionic conductivity was measured from Al|MgAl2O4|Al specimen showing 10 -7.7 ˜ 10-6.8 (O·cm)-1 with the activation energy of 1.9eV in sigma = sigma0 exp-QRT formula. There was no difference in the conductivity by the change of the atmosphere from 5%H2 + 95%N2 mixed gas to pure Ar gas. So it was confirmed that the oxygen defect chemistry did not play a role. For Mg ionic conductivity Mg|MgAl2O4|Mg specimen was used and the measured conductivity shows 10-6.7 ˜ 10-4.4 (O·cm)-1 at 400˜550°C with the activation energy of 1.44eV at Ar gas

Stable battery operation of a bulk-type all-solid-state lithium-sulfur battery was demonstrated by using a LiBH{sub 4} electrolyte. The electrochemical activity of insulating elemental sulfur as the positive electrode was enhanced by the mutual dispersion of elemental sulfur and carbon in the composite powders. Subsequently, a tight interface between the sulfur-carbon composite and the LiBH{sub 4} powders was manifested only by cold-pressing owing to the highly deformable nature of the LiBH{sub 4} electrolyte. The high reducing ability of LiBH{sub 4} allows using the use of a Li negative electrode that enhances the energy density. The results demonstrate the interface modification of insulating sulfur and the architecture of an all-solid-state Li-S battery configuration with high energy density.

A novel electrochemical cell is disclosed utilizing: (A) an anode which contains an alkali metal as an anode-active material; (B) a cathode and (C) an electrolyte comprising an electrolytically effective amount of one or more compounds having the formula: (Ax)ma'scn wherein a is an alkali metal, X is a halogen, a' is an alkali metal and 0.1 < or = N < or = 10. Preferred systems include lithium-containing anodes, lithium-containing electrolytes and cathodes which contain cathode-active material selected from the group consisting of cathode-active sulfurs, halogens, halides, chromates, phosphates, oxides and chalcogenides, especially those chalcogenides of the empirical formula mzm wherein M is one or more metals selected from the group consisting of iron, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, niobium, tantalum and vanadium, Z is one or more chalcogens selected from the group consisting of oxygen, sulfur, selenium and tellurium, and M is a numerical value between about 1.8 and about 3.2.

In this work, the ordered mesoporous silica, SBA-15, is chosen as the matrix for the first time to prepare quasi-solid-stateelectrolytes (QSSEs) with an ionic liquid, LiTFSI salt and PVdF-HFP. The as-obtained QSSEs are evaluated by electrochemical methods. Lithium metal batteries containing these QSSEs exhibit high discharge capacity and good cycle performance at room temperature, indicating successful battery operation.

New generations of integrated closed loop systems will combine life support systems (incl. biological components) and energy systems such as fuel cell and electrolysis systems. Those systems and their test beds also contain complex safety sensor monitoring systems. Especially in fuel cells and electrolysis systems, the hydrogen and oxygen flows and exchange into other areas due to diffusion processes or leaks need to be monitored. Knowledge of predominant gas concentrations at all times is essential to avoid explosive gas mixtures. Solidstateelectrolyte sensors are promising for use as safety sensors. They have already been developed and produced at various institutes, but the power consumption for heating an existing solidstateelectrolyte sensor element still lies between 1 to 1.5 W and the operational readiness still takes about 20 to 30 s. This is partially due to the current manufacturing process for the solidstateelectrolyte sensor elements that is based on screen printing technology. However this technology has strong limitations in flexibility of the layout and re-designs. It is therefore suitable for mass production, but not for a flexible development and the production of specific individual sensors, e.g. for space applications. Moreover a disadvantage is the relatively high material consumption, especially in combination with the sensors need of expensive noble metal and ceramic pastes, which leads to a high sensor unit price. The Inkjet technology however opens up completely new possibilities in terms of dimensions, geometries, structures, morphologies and materials of sensors. This new approach is capable of printing finer high-resolution layers without the necessity of meshes or masks for patterning. Using the Inkjet technology a design change is possible at any time on the CAD screen. Moreover the ink is only deposited where it is needed. Custom made sensors, as they are currently demanded in space sensor applications, are thus realized simply

Conducting gel electrolytes from poly(acrylic acid)-cetyltrimethylammonium bromide/polyaniline (PAA-CTAB/PANi) and poly(acrylic acid)-cetyltrimethylammonium bromide/polypyrrole (PAA-CTAB/PPy) are synthesized under driving forces of both osmotic pressure and capillary force within microporous PAA-CTAB matrix. The as-synthesized PAA-CTAB/PANi or PAA-CTAB/PPy can extend the reduction reaction of triiodides from gel electrolyte/Pt counter electrode interface to both interface and three-dimensional framework of conducting gel electrolyte due to the electrical conduction of PANi or PPy toward reflux electrons (electrons from external circuit to Pt counter electrode). The enhanced kinetics for triiodides → iodide conversion is promising in elevating photovoltaic performances of quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Driving forces by both osmotic pressure across PAA-CTAB matrix and capillary force presenting in micropores can elevate the loading of PANi or PPy incorporated liquid electrolyte in per unit volume, leading to further enhancement in charge transfer and electrocatalytic activity. The total power conversion efficiencies of 7.11% and 6.39% are recorded in the solar cells with PAA-CTAB/PANi and PAA-CTAB/PPy electrolytes under one sun irradiation, respectively, whereas it is 6.07% for the cell device with pure PAA-CTAB gel electrolyte. Electrical and electrochemical characterizations reveal that the electrical conduction and electrocatalytic performances have been significantly enhanced by incorporating electrical conducting PANi or PPy into microporous PAA-CTAB matrix. The concept opens a new approach of fabricating efficient polymer gel electrolytes for robust quasi-solid-state DSSC applications.

We synthesized a series of pyrrolidinium based dicationic ionic crystals with high melting point and good thermal stability. Research on the crystal structure shows that there are ordered three-dimensional ionic channels in these crystals which is favorable for the ionic conductor to achieve high conductivity and diffusion coefficient. These ionic crystals are applied to electrolyte as matrix in dye sensitized solar cells, and the influence of crystal structure (including the alkylene chain separating two pyrrolidinium rings and anion) versus the device performances are studied by steady-state voltammography, current-voltage trace, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. As the solidstateelectrolyte, an optimized efficiency of 6.02% have achieved under full sunlight irradiation using ionic crystal [C6BEP][TFSI]2. And the device based on this solid electrolyte shows the excellent long-term stability, maintaining 92% of the initial efficiency after 960 h. This study elucidates fundamental the structure of dicationic crystal and provide useful clues for further improvement of solid-stateelectrolytes in DSSC. PMID:26336080

An electrolyticoxide reduction system according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention may include a plurality of anode assemblies, a plurality of cathode assemblies, and a lift system configured to engage the anode and cathode assemblies. The cathode assemblies may be alternately arranged with the anode assemblies such that each cathode assembly is flanked by two anode assemblies. The lift system may be configured to selectively engage the anode and cathode assemblies so as to allow the simultaneous lifting of any combination of the anode and cathode assemblies (whether adjacent or non-adjacent).

This project investigates the catalytic properties of oxides for the selective oxidative dehydrogenation of light alkanes and for hydrocarbon reduction of NO{sub x}. Various vanadium oxide based catalysts were investigated to elucidate the relationship between the chemical and structural properties of the catalysts and their selectivity for the formation of alkenes. It was found that vanadium oxide units that are less reducible give higher selectivities. For hydrocarbon reduction of NO{sub x}, it was found that alumina-based catalysts can be effective at higher temperatures than the corresponding zeolite-based catalysts. On some catalysts, such as SnO{sub 2}/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}. Ag/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, the alumina participates directly in the reaction, making the catalyst bifunctional. These results are useful in research to improve the performance of this stress of catalysts.

Here, we report an efficient strategy by which a significantly enhanced electrode-electrolyte interface in an electrode for supercapacitor application could be accomplished by allowing in situ polymer gel electrolyte generation inside the nanopores of the electrodes. This unique and highly efficient strategy could be conceived by judiciously maintaining ultraviolet-triggered polymerization of a monomer mixture in the presence of a high-surface-area porous carbon. The method is very simple and scalable, and a prototype, flexible solid-state supercapacitor could even be demonstrated in an encapsulation-free condition by using the commercial-grade electrodes (thickness = 150 μm, area = 12 cm(2), and mass loading = 7.3 mg/cm(2)). This prototype device shows a capacitance of 130 F/g at a substantially reduced internal resistance of 0.5 Ω and a high capacitance retention of 84% after 32000 cycles. The present system is found to be clearly outperforming a similar system derived by using the conventional polymer electrolyte (PVA-H3PO4 as the electrolyte), which could display a capacitance of only 95 F/g, and this value falls to nearly 50% in just 5000 cycles. The superior performance in the present case is credited primarily to the excellent interface formation of the in situ generated polymer electrolyte inside the nanopores of the electrode. Further, the interpenetrated nature of the polymer also helps the device to show a low electron spin resonance and power rate and, most importantly, excellent shelf-life in the unsealed flexible conditions. Because the nature of the electrode-electrolyte interface is the major performance-determining factor in the case of many electrochemical energy storage/conversion systems, along with the supercapacitors, the developed process can also find applications in preparing electrodes for the devices such as lithium-ion batteries, metal-air batteries, polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells, etc. PMID:26697922

The objective of Phase I under this project is to develop a 5 kW Solid Oxide Fuel Cell power system for a range of fuels and applications. During Phase I, the following will be accomplished: Develop and demonstrate technology transfer efforts on a 5 kW stationary distributed power generation system that incorporates steam reforming of natural gas with the option of piped-in water (Demonstration System A). Initiate development of a 5 kW system for later mass-market automotive auxiliary power unit application, which will incorporate Catalytic Partial Oxidation (CPO) reforming of gasoline, with anode exhaust gas injected into an ultra-lean burn internal combustion engine. This technical progress report covers work performed by Delphi from January 1, 2003 to June 30, 2003, under Department of Energy Cooperative Agreement DE-FC-02NT41246. This report highlights technical results of the work performed under the following tasks: Task 1 System Design and Integration; Task 2 Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Stack Developments; Task 3 Reformer Developments; Task 4 Development of Balance of Plant (BOP) Components; Task 5 Manufacturing Development (Privately Funded); Task 6 System Fabrication; Task 7 System Testing; Task 8 Program Management; and Task 9 Stack Testing with Coal-Based Reformate.

The objective of this project is to develop a 5 kW Solid Oxide Fuel Cell power system for a range of fuels and applications. During Phase I, the following will be accomplished: Develop and demonstrate technology transfer efforts on a 5 kW stationary distributed power generation system that incorporates steam reforming of natural gas with the option of piped-in water (Demonstration System A). Initiate development of a 5 kW system for later mass-market automotive auxiliary power unit application, which will incorporate Catalytic Partial Oxidation (CPO) reforming of gasoline, with anode exhaust gas injected into an ultra-lean burn internal combustion engine. This technical progress report covers work performed by Delphi from July 1, 2003 to December 31, 2003, under Department of Energy Cooperative Agreement DE-FC-02NT41246. This report highlights technical results of the work performed under the following tasks: Task 1 System Design and Integration; Task 2 Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Stack Developments; Task 3 Reformer Developments; Task 4 Development of Balance of Plant (BOP) Components; Task 5 Manufacturing Development (Privately Funded); Task 6 System Fabrication; Task 7 System Testing; Task 8 Program Management; Task 9 Stack Testing with Coal-Based Reformate; and Task 10 Technology Transfer from SECA CORE Technology Program. In this reporting period, unless otherwise noted Task 6--System Fabrication and Task 7--System Testing will be reported within Task 1 System Design and Integration. Task 8--Program Management, Task 9--Stack Testing with Coal Based Reformate, and Task 10--Technology Transfer from SECA CORE Technology Program will be reported on in the Executive Summary section of this report.

A novel type of highly flexible and all-solid-state supercapacitor that uses cellulose nanofibril (CNF)/reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/carbon nanotube (CNT) hybrid aerogels as electrodes and H2SO4/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) gel as the electrolyte was developed and is reported here. These flexible solid-state supercapacitors were fabricated without any binders, current collectors, or electroactive additives. Because of the porous structure of the CNF/RGO/CNT aerogel electrodes and the excellent electrolyte absorption properties of the CNFs present in the aerogel electrodes, the resulting flexible supercapacitors exhibited a high specific capacitance (i.e., 252 F g(-1) at a discharge current density of 0.5 A g(-1)) and a remarkable cycle stability (i.e., more than 99.5% of the capacitance was retained after 1000 charge-discharge cycles at a current density of 1 A g(-1)). Furthermore, the supercapacitors also showed extremely high areal capacitance, areal power density, and energy density (i.e., 216 mF cm(-2), 9.5 mW cm(-2), and 28.4 μWh cm(-2), respectively). In light of its excellent electrical performance, low cost, ease of large-scale manufacturing, and environmental friendliness, the CNF/RGO/CNT aerogel electrodes may have a promising application in the development of flexible energy-storage devices. PMID:25625769

All-solid-state Li-ion battery is a promising next-generation energy-storage technology. Using novel ceramic solid electrolyte materials, all-solid-state battery has advantages of intrinsic safety and high energy density compared to current Li-ion batteries based on organic liquid electrolyte. However, the power density achieved in all-solid-state battery is still unsatisfactory. The high interfacial resistance at electrode-electrolyte interface is one of the major limiting factors. Here we demonstrated a computational approach based on first principles calculation to systematically investigate the chemical and electrochemical stability of solid electrolyte materials, and provide insightful understanding of the degradation and passivation mechanisms at the interface. Our calculation revealed that the intrinsic stability of solid electrolyte materials and solid electrolyte-electrode interfaces is limited and the formation of interphase layers are thermodynamically favorable. Our study demonstrated a computational scheme to evaluate the electrochemical and chemical stability of the solid interfaces. Our newly gained understanding provided principles for developing solid electrolyte materials with enhanced stability and for engineering interfaces in all-solid-state Li-ion batteries. This work was supported by Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (DE-EE0006860).

Studies on electronic and structural properties of solidstateoxides continued. This quarter, studies have concentrated on silica. Progress is discussed in the following sections: interatomic potentials and the structural properties of silica; chemical reactivity and covalent/metallic bonding on Si clusters; and surface and thermodynamic interatomic forces fields for silicon. 64 refs., 20 figs., 5 tabs. (CBS)

We designed and fabricated a bipolar-type electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) with a maximum 7.5 V operating voltage using a new concept in solid electrolytes. A cell having a high operating voltage, that is free from liquid leakage and is non-flammable is achieved by a bipolar design utilizing a solid polymer electrolyte made up of particles in a three-dimensional array, such as crystals composed of 75 wt% of hybrid particles decorated with a concentrated ionic liquid polymer brush (PSiP) and 25wt% of an ionic liquid (IL). The resulting solid film had sufficient physical strength and a high enough ionic conductivity to function as an electrolyte. Solidification as well as ionic conduction is due to the regular array of PSiPs, thereby producing a high ion-conductivity from a networked path between cores containing an appropriate amount of IL as a plasticizer. The demonstration cell shows a relatively good cycle durability and rate properties up to a 10C discharge process. It also has a very small leakage current in continuous charging and better self-discharge properties, even at 60 °C, compared with conventional cells. This paper demonstrates the first successful fabrication of a bipolar EDLC in a simple structure using this novel polymer solid electrolyte.

A novel small-molecule compound of lithium iodine and 3-hydroxypropionitrile (HPN) has been successfully synthesized. Our combined experimental and theoretical studies indicated that LiIHPN is a Li-ion conductor, which is utterly different from the I(-)-anion conductor of LiI(HPN)2 reported previously. Solid-state lithium-air batteries based on LiIHPN as the electrolyte exhibit a reversible discharge capacity of more than 2100 mAh g(-1) with a cyclic performance over 10 cycles. Our findings provide a new way to design solid-stateelectrolytes toward high-performance lithium-air batteries. PMID:27308962

An interesting wood-based all-solid-state supercapacitor is produced using reduced graphene oxide (RGO) coated on wood transverse section slice (WTSS) as electrode material by means of a low-cost, eco-friendly, and simple method for the first time. The RGO-coated WTSS electrode has a porous 3D honeycomb framework due to the hierarchical cellular structure of the WTSS substrate and can function as an electrolyte reservoir. This special construction endows this novel electrode with good areal capacitance (102 mF cm-2) and excellent cyclic stability (capacitance retention of 98.9% after 5000 cycles). In addition, the supercapacitors exhibit good mechanical flexibility and preserve almost constant capacitive behavior under different bending conditions. Our study introduces a new and eco-friendly material design for electrodes in future flexible energy storage devices that closely resemble natural materials. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

State-of-the-art solid-state flexible supercapacitors with sufficiently fast response speed for AC line filtering application suffer from limited energy density. One of the main causes of the low energy density is the low cell voltage (1 V), which is limited by aqueous-solution-based gel electrolytes. In this work, we demonstrate for the first time a 3-V flexible supercapacitor for AC line filtering based on an ionic-liquid-based polymer gel electrolyte and carbon nanotube electrode material. The flexible supercapacitor exhibits an areal energy density that is more than 20 times higher than that of the previously demonstrated 1-V flexible supercapacitor (0.66 vs 0.03 μWh/cm(2)) while maintaining excellent capacitive behavior at 120 Hz. The supercapacitor shows a maximum areal power density of 1.5 W/cm(2) and a time constant of 1 ms. The improvement of the cell voltage while maintaining the fast-response capability greatly improves the potential of supercapacitors for high-frequency applications in wearable and/or portable electronics. PMID:27167760

To expand the application of solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (ssDSSCs) to low temperatures, it is necessary to develop new solid electrolytes with low glass transition temperature (Tg). The Tg is regulated by varying the length of alkyl chain that is connected with the nitrogen atom in the imidazolium ring linked to the polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS). The Tg as low as -8.8 °C is achieved with the POSS grafted with methyl-substituted imidazolium. The effect of alkyl group on the conductivity, Tg, and photovoltaic performance has also been investigated. The conductivity and power conversion efficiency increase with the alkyl length, while the Tg first increases and then decreases with the alkyl length. Among the synthesized POSS-based ionic conductors, the POSS grafted with the methyl-substituted imidazolium yields the highest power conversion efficiency of 6.98% at RT due to its highest conductivity, and the efficiency (6.52%) is still good at -4 °C, as its Tg (-8.8 °C) is lower than the working temperature (-4 °C). This finding suggests that the POSS-based solid electrolyte is promising for subzero-temperature applications of ssDSSCs. PMID:26860035

We demonstrate strong photo-amplification effects in flexible organic capacitors which consist of small molecular solid-stateelectrolyte layers sandwiched between light-sensitive conjugated polymer nanolayers. The small molecular electrolyte layers were prepared from aqueous solutions of tris(8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid) aluminum (ALQSA3), while poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) was employed as the light-sensitive polymer nanolayer that is spin-coated on the indium-tin oxide (ITO)-coated poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) film substrates. The resulting capacitors feature a multilayer device structure of PET/ITO/P3HT/ALQSA3/P3HT/ITO/PET, which were mechanically robust due to good adhesion between the ALQSA3 layers and the P3HT nanolayers. Results showed that the specific capacitance was increased by ca. 3-fold when a white light was illuminated to the flexible organic multilayer capacitors. In particular, the capacity of charge storage was remarkably (ca. 250-fold) enhanced by a white light illumination in the potentiostatic charge/discharge operation, and the photo-amplification functions were well maintained even after bending for 300 times at a bending angle of 180o.

We demonstrate strong photo-amplification effects in flexible organic capacitors which consist of small molecular solid-stateelectrolyte layers sandwiched between light-sensitive conjugated polymer nanolayers. The small molecular electrolyte layers were prepared from aqueous solutions of tris(8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid) aluminum (ALQSA3), while poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) was employed as the light-sensitive polymer nanolayer that is spin-coated on the indium-tin oxide (ITO)-coated poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) film substrates. The resulting capacitors feature a multilayer device structure of PET/ITO/P3HT/ALQSA3/P3HT/ITO/PET, which were mechanically robust due to good adhesion between the ALQSA3 layers and the P3HT nanolayers. Results showed that the specific capacitance was increased by ca. 3-fold when a white light was illuminated to the flexible organic multilayer capacitors. In particular, the capacity of charge storage was remarkably (ca. 250-fold) enhanced by a white light illumination in the potentiostatic charge/discharge operation, and the photo-amplification functions were well maintained even after bending for 300 times at a bending angle of 180(°). PMID:26846891

We demonstrate strong photo-amplification effects in flexible organic capacitors which consist of small molecular solid-stateelectrolyte layers sandwiched between light-sensitive conjugated polymer nanolayers. The small molecular electrolyte layers were prepared from aqueous solutions of tris(8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid) aluminum (ALQSA3), while poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) was employed as the light-sensitive polymer nanolayer that is spin-coated on the indium-tin oxide (ITO)-coated poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) film substrates. The resulting capacitors feature a multilayer device structure of PET/ITO/P3HT/ALQSA3/P3HT/ITO/PET, which were mechanically robust due to good adhesion between the ALQSA3 layers and the P3HT nanolayers. Results showed that the specific capacitance was increased by ca. 3-fold when a white light was illuminated to the flexible organic multilayer capacitors. In particular, the capacity of charge storage was remarkably (ca. 250-fold) enhanced by a white light illumination in the potentiostatic charge/discharge operation, and the photo-amplification functions were well maintained even after bending for 300 times at a bending angle of 180o. PMID:26846891

Li-S battery is a complicated system with many challenges existing before its final market penetration. While most of the reported work for Li-S batteries is focused on the cathode design, we demonstrate in this work that the anode consumption accelerated by corrosive polysulfide solution also critically determines the Li-S cell performance. To validate this hypothesis, ionic liquid (IL) N-methyl-N-butylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (Py14TFSI) has been employed to modify the properties of SEI layer formed on Li metal surface in Li-S batteries. It is found that the IL-enhanced passivation film on the lithium anode surface exhibits much different morphology and chemical compositions, effectively protecting lithium metal from continuous attack by soluble polysulfides. Therefore, both cell impedance and the irreversible consumption of polysulfides on lithium metal are reduced. As a result, the Coulombic efficiency and the cycling stability of Li-S batteries have been greatly improved. After 120 cycles, Li-S battery cycled in the electrolyte containing IL demonstrates a high capacity retention of 94.3% at 0.1 C rate. These results unveil another important failure mechanism for Li-S batteries and shin the light on the new approaches to improve Li-S battery performances.

Solid-state electrochemical gas sensing devices composed of stabilized-zirconia electrolyte have used extensively in the automobile and chemical industry. Two types of electrochemical devices, potentiometric and amperometric, were developed in this thesis for total NOx (NO + NO2) detection in harsh environments. In potentiometric devices, Pt covered with Pt containing zeolite Y (PtY) and WO3 were examined as the two electrode materials. Significant reactivity differences toward NOx between PtY and WO 3 led to the difference in non-electrochemical reactions and resulted in a electrode potential. With gases passing through a PtY filter, it was possible to remove interferences from 2000 ppm CO, 800 ppm propane, 10 ppm NH3, as well as to minimize effects of 1˜13% O2, CO2, and H2O. Total NOx concentration was measured by maintaining a temperature difference between the filter and the sensor. The sensitivity was significantly improved by connecting sensors in series. Amperometic devices were also developed to detect NOx passing through the PtY filter. By applying a low anodic potential of 80 mV, NO in the NOx equilibrated mixture can be oxidized at a Pt working electrode on the YSZ electrolyte at 500°C. The PtY can be held separate from the YSZ or coated onto the YSZ as a film. This design was demonstrated to exhibit total-NOx detection capability, a low NOx detection limit (< 1 ppm), high NOx selectivity relative to CO and oxygen, and linear dependence on NOx concentration. The non-electrochemical reactions around the triple-phase boundary were studied to understand the origin of the superior performance of WO3 on potentiometric NOx sensing. From TPD, DRIFTS, XRD, Raman, and catalytic activity measurements, the interfacial reactions between WO 3 and YSZ were found to dramatically reduce the NOx catalytic activity of YSZ. WO3 reacted with surface Y2O3 on YSZ and formed less catalytically active yttrium tungsten oxides and monoclinic ZrO2, which suppressed the non

Solid-state thermal decomposition reaction of a molecular material {As}({C}6{H}5)4[{Fe}^{II}{Fe}^{III} ({C}2{O}4)3]}n has been studied using non-isothermal thermogravimetry (TG) in an inert atmosphere. By analyzing the TG data collected at multiple heating rates in 300 K-1300 K range, the kinetic parameters (activation energy, most probable reaction mechanism function and frequency factor) are determined using different multi-heating rate analysis programs. Activation energy and the frequency factor are found to be strongly dependent on the extent of decomposition. The decomposed material has been characterized to be hematite using physical techniques (FT-IR and powder XRD). Particle morphology has been checked by TEM. A solid-state reaction pathway leading the molecular precursor to hematite has been proposed illustrating an example of solventless synthesis of iron oxides utilizing thermal decomposition as a technique using innocuous materials.

The ionic conduction and electrochemical and thermal stabilities of the LiBH4-LiCl solid-stateelectrolyte were investigated for use in bulk-type all-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries. The LiBH4-LiCl solid-stateelectrolyte exhibiting a lithium ionic conductivity of [Formula: see text] at 373 K, forms a reversible interface with a lithium metal electrode and has a wide electrochemical potential window up to 5 V. By means of the high-energy mechanical ball-milling technique, we prepared a composite powder consisting of elemental sulfur and mixed conductive additive, i.e., Ketjen black and Maxsorb. In that composite powder, homogeneous dispersion of the materials is achieved on a nanometer scale, and thereby a high concentration of the interface among them is induced. Such nanometer-scale dispersals of both elemental sulfur and carbon materials play an important role in enhancing the electrochemical reaction of elemental sulfur. The highly deformable LiBH4-LiCl electrolyte assists in the formation of a high concentration of tight interfaces with the sulfur-carbon composite powder. The LiBH4-LiCl electrolyte also allows the formation of the interface between the positive electrode and the electrolyte layers, and thus the Li-ion transport paths are established at that interface. As a result, our battery exhibits high discharge capacities of 1377, 856, and 636 mAh g(-1) for the 1st, 2nd, and 5th discharges, respectively, at 373 K. These results imply that complex hydride-based solid-stateelectrolytes that contain Cl-ions in the crystal would be integrated into rechargeable batteries. PMID:26041380

The ionic conduction and electrochemical and thermal stabilities of the LiBH4-LiCl solid-stateelectrolyte were investigated for use in bulk-type all-solid-state lithium-sulfur batteries. The LiBH4-LiCl solid-stateelectrolyte exhibiting a lithium ionic conductivity of log ≤ft( σ /S c{{m}-1} \\right)=-3.3 at 373 K, forms a reversible interface with a lithium metal electrode and has a wide electrochemical potential window up to 5 V. By means of the high-energy mechanical ball-milling technique, we prepared a composite powder consisting of elemental sulfur and mixed conductive additive, i.e., Ketjen black and Maxsorb. In that composite powder, homogeneous dispersion of the materials is achieved on a nanometer scale, and thereby a high concentration of the interface among them is induced. Such nanometer-scale dispersals of both elemental sulfur and carbon materials play an important role in enhancing the electrochemical reaction of elemental sulfur. The highly deformable LiBH4-LiCl electrolyte assists in the formation of a high concentration of tight interfaces with the sulfur-carbon composite powder. The LiBH4-LiCl electrolyte also allows the formation of the interface between the positive electrode and the electrolyte layers, and thus the Li-ion transport paths are established at that interface. As a result, our battery exhibits high discharge capacities of 1377, 856, and 636 mAh g-1 for the 1st, 2nd, and 5th discharges, respectively, at 373 K. These results imply that complex hydride-based solid-stateelectrolytes that contain Cl-ions in the crystal would be integrated into rechargeable batteries.

We report on the synthesis of cubic-phase fast ionic conducting garnet solidstateelectrolytes based on LiLaZrO (LLZO) at unprecedented low synthesis temperatures. Ionic conductivities around 1.2 x 10-4 S/cm are readily achieved. Bismuth aliovalent substitution into LLZO utilizing the Pechini processing method is successfully employed to synthesize LiLaZrBiO compounds. Cubic phase LiLaZrBiO powders are generated in the temperature range 650C to 900C in air. In contrast, in the absence of Bi and under identical synthesis conditions, the cubic phase of LiLaZrO is not formed below 750C and a transformation to the poor ionically conducting tetragonal phase is observed at 800C for the undoped compound. The critical role of Bi in lowering the formation temperature of the garnet cubic phase and the improvements in ionic conductivity are elucidated in this work through microstructural and electrochemical studies.

Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) for all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries are prepared by simple one-pot polymerization induced by ultraviolet (UV) light using poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PEGMA) as an ion-conducting monomeric unit and tannic acid (TA)-based crosslinking agent and plasticizer. The crosslinking agent and plasticizer based on natural resources are obtained from the reaction of TA with glycidyl methacrylate and glycidyl poly(ethylene glycol), respectively. Dimensionally stable free-standing SPE having a large ionic conductivity of 5.6×10(-4) Scm(-1) at room temperature can be obtained by the polymerization of PEGMA into P(PEGMA) with a very small amount (0.1 wt %) of the crosslinking agent and 2.0 wt % of the plasticizer. The ionic conductivity value of SPE with a crosslinked structure is one order of magnitude larger than that of linear P(PEGMA) in the waxy state. PMID:26609912

Electrode-electrolyte composites of MnO2 active material, acetylene black (AB), and SiO2-Nafion solid electrolyte were prepared using the sol-gel process to form good solid-solid interfaces. The composites were obtained by the addition of MnO2 and AB into a sol of hydrolyzed tetraethoxysilane with Nafion, and successive solidification of the precursor sol. Scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy measurements show that good solid-solid interface is formed between electrodes and solid electrolytes in the composites. All-solid-state hybrid capacitors were fabricated using the composites or the hand-grinding mixture of MnO2, AB and SiO2-Nafion powder as positive electrodes, activated carbon powder as a negative electrode, and phosphosilicate gel as a solid electrolyte. The all-solid-state hybrid capacitors using the composites exhibit larger capacitances and better rate performance than the capacitors using the electrode prepared by hand-mixing of powders. Specific discharge capacitances of the capacitor with the composite are 85 F g-1 for the one with the composite electrode and 48 F g-1 for the one with the hand-mixed electrode, at 1 mA cm-2. Moreover, the all-solid-state capacitors using the composite electrode can be operated at temperatures between -30 °C and 60 °C.

The development of safe, stable, and long-life Li-ion batteries is being intensively pursued to enable the electrification of transportation and intelligent grid applications. Here, we report a new solid-state Li-ion battery technology, using a solid nanocomposite electrolyte composed of porous silica matrices with in situ immobilizing Li(+)-conducting ionic liquid, anode material of MCMB, and cathode material of LiCoO2, LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2, or LiFePO4. An injection printing method is used for the electrode/electrolyte preparation. Solid nanocomposite electrolytes exhibit superior performance to the conventional organic electrolytes with regard to safety and cycle-life. They also have a transparent glassy structure with high ionic conductivity and good mechanical strength. Solid-state full cells tested with the various cathodes exhibited high specific capacities, long cycling stability, and excellent high temperature performance. This solid-state battery technology will provide new avenues for the rational engineering of advanced Li-ion batteries and other electrochemical devices. PMID:26862941

A high contact resistance between the active materials and the current collector, a low ionic conductivity of the gel electrolyte, and an impenetrable electrode structure are the three major barriers which greatly limit the capacitance of MnO2 in solidstate supercapacitors. As a potential solution to these problems, in this work we report a novel electrode for solidstate supercapacitors, based on a ternary system composed of hierarchical MnO2 spheres as the active material, macroporous Ni foam as gel penetrable skeletons and an ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) membrane as the charge-transport accelerating layer. By employing butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMIMCl) modified gels as the ionic conducting electrolyte, the utilization efficiency of MnO2 on the specific capacitance was enhanced up to 88% of the theoretical value, delivering a volumetric capacitance of 81 F cm(-3), which is the highest value among MnO2 based solidstate supercapacitors. Moreover, such a flexible device exhibits exceptional volumetric energy and power density (6.6 Wh L(-1) and 549 W L(-1), based on the whole device volume) combined with a small capacity loss of 8.5% after 6000 cycles under twisting. These encouraging findings unambiguously overcome the energy bottleneck of MnO2 in solidstate supercapacitors, and open up a new application of macro/mesoporous materials in flexible devices. PMID:27241801

The atomic solidstate energy (SSE) scale originates from a plot of the electron affinity (EA) and ionization potential (IP) versus band gap (EG). SSE is estimated for a given atom by assessing an average EA (for a cation) or an average IP (for an anion) for binary inorganic compounds having that specific atom as a constituent. Physically, SSE is an experimentally-derived average frontier orbital energy referenced to the vacuum level. In its original formulation, 69 binary closed-shell inorganic semiconductors and insulators were employed as a database, providing SSE estimates for 40 elements. In this contribution, EA and IP versus EG are plotted for an additional 92 compounds, thus yielding SSE estimates for a total of 64 elements from the s-, p-, d-, and f-blocks of the periodic table. Additionally, SSE is refined to account for its dependence on oxidation state. Although most cations within the SSE database are found to occur in a single oxidation state, data are available for nine d-block transition metals and one p-block main group metal in more than one oxidation state. SSE is deeper in energy for a higher cation oxidation state. Two p-block main group non-metals within the SSE database are found to exist in both positive and negative oxidation states so that they can function as a cation or anion. SSEs for most cations are positioned above -4.5 eV with respect to the vacuum level, and SSEs for all anions are positioned below. Hence, the energy -4.5 eV, equal to the hydrogen donor/acceptor ionization energy ε(+/-) or equivalently the standard hydrogen electrode energy, is considered to be an absolute energy reference for chemical bonding in the solidstate.

The purpose of this program was to survey the field of solid-state proton conductors (SSPC), identify conductors that could be used to develop solid-state fuel cells suitable for use with coal derived fuel gases, and begin the experimental research required for the development of these fuel cells. This document covers the following topics: the history of developments and current status of the SSPC, including a review of proton conducting electrolyte structures, the current status of the medium temperature SSPC development, electrodes for moderate temperature (SSPC) fuel cell, basic material and measurement techniques applicable for SSPC development, modeling and optimization studies. Correlation and optimization studies, to include correlation studies on proton conduction and oxide cathode optimization for the SSPC fuel cell. Experiments with the SSPC fuel cells including the fabrication of the electrolyte disks, apparatus for conducting measurements, the strontium-cerium based electrolyte, the barium-cerium based electrolyte with solid foil electrodes, the barium-cerium based electrolyte with porous electrodes, and conduction mechanisms. 164 refs., 27 figs., 13 tabs.

All-solid-state lithium batteries are attractive candidates for next-generation energy storage devices because of their anticipated high energy density and intrinsic safety. Owing to their excellent ionic conductivity and stability with metallic lithium anodes, nanostructured lithium thiophosphate solid electrolytes such as β-Li3PS4 have found use in the fabrication of all-solid lithium batteries for large-scale energy storage systems. However, current methods for preparing air-sensitive solid electrolyte membranes of lithium thiophosphates can only generate thick membranes that compromise the battery's gravimetric/volumetric energy density and thus its rate performance. To overcome this limitation, the solid electrolyte's thickness needs to be effectively decreased to achievemore » ideal energy density and enhanced rate performance. In this paper, we show that the evaporation-induced self-assembly (EISA) technique produces ultrathin membranes of a lithium thiophosphate solid electrolyte with controllable thicknesses between 8 and 50 μm while maintaining the high ionic conductivity of β-Li3PS4 and stability with metallic lithium anodes up to 5 V. Finally, it is clearly demonstrated that this facile EISA approach allows for the preparation of ultrathin lithium thiophosphate solid electrolyte membranes for all-solid-state batteries.« less

A stable electrolyte is required for use in the open-packing environment of a Li-O2 battery system. Herein, a gelled quasi-solid-stateelectrolyte containing SiO2 nanoparticles was designed, in order to obtain a solidified electrolyte with a high discharge capacity and long cyclability. We successfully fabricated an organic-inorganic hybrid matrix with a gelled structure, which exhibited high ionic conductivity, thereby enhancing the discharge capacity of the Li-O2 battery. In particular, the improved electrochemical stability of the gelled cathode led to long-term cyclability. The organic-inorganic hybrid matrix with the gelled structure played a beneficial role in improving the ionic conductivity and long-term cyclability and diminished electrolyte evaporation. The experimental and theoretical findings both suggest that the preferential binding between amorphous SiO2 and polyethylene glycol dimethyl ether (PEGDME) solvent led to the formation of the solidified gelled electrolyte and improved electrochemical stability during cycling, while enhancing the stability of the quasi-solidstate Li-O2 battery. PMID:26698560

This report summarizes the progress made during the September 2001-March 2002 reporting period under Cooperative Agreement DE-FC26-01NT41245 for the U. S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory (DOE/NETL) entitled ''SolidState Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Program''. The program focuses on the development of a low-cost, high-performance 3-to-10-kW solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system suitable for a broad spectrum of power-generation applications. The overall objective of the program is to demonstrate a modular SOFC system that can be configured to create highly efficient, cost-competitive, and environmentally benign power plants tailored to specific markets. When fully developed, the system will meet the efficiency, performance, life, and cost goals for future commercial power plants.

This report summarizes the work performed for April 2003--September 2003 reporting period under Cooperative Agreement DE-FC26-01NT41245 for the U.S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory (DOE/NETL) entitled ''SolidState Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) Solid oxide Fuel Cell Program''. During this reporting period, the conceptual system design activity was completed. The system design, including strategies for startup, normal operation and shutdown, was defined. Sealant and stack materials for the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack were identified which are capable of meeting the thermal cycling and degradation requirements. A cell module was tested which achieved a stable performance of 0.238 W/cm{sup 2} at 95% fuel utilization. The external fuel processor design was completed and fabrication begun. Several other advances were made on various aspects of the SOFC system, which are detailed in this report.

An all solid-state variable transmission electrochromic device has a source of charge compensating ions. An inorganic oxide counter electrode film which on reduction with the accompanying insertion of the charge compensating ions increases its transmission of light of predetermined wavelength is separated from a primary electrochromic film which on reduction with the accompanying insertion of the charge compensating ions decreases its transmission of light of predetermined wavelength by an insulating electrolyte film that transports the charge compensating ions. First and second electrodes are contiguous with the inorganic oxide counter electrode film and the primary electrochromic film, respectively, and separated by the three films. 4 figs.

An all solid-state variable transmission electrochromic device has a source of charge compensating ions. An inorganic oxide counterelectrode film which on reduction with the accompanying insertion of the charge compensating ions increases its transmission of light of predetermined wavelength is separated from a primary electrochromic film which on reduction with the accompanying insertion of the charge compensating ions decreases its transmission of light of predetermined wavelength by an insulating electrolyte film that transports the charge compensating ions. First and second electrodes are contiguous with the inorganic oxide counter electrode film and the primary electrochromic film, respectively, and separated by the three films.

An all solid-state variable transmission electrochromic device has a source of charge compensating ions. An inorganic oxide counterelectrode film which on reduction with the accompanying insertion of the charge compensating ions increases its transmission of light of predetermined wavelength is separated from a primary electrochromic film which on reduction with the accompanying insertion of the charge compensating ions decreases its transmission of light of predetermined wavelength by an insulating electrolyte film that transports the charge compensating ions. First and second electrodes are contiguous with the inorganic oxide counter electrode film and the primary electrochromic film, respectively, and separated by the three films.

An all solid-state variable transmission electrochromic device has a source of charge compensating ions. An inorganic oxide counterelectrode film which on reduction with the accompanying insertion of the charge compensating ions increases its transmission of light of predetermined wavelength is separated from a primary electrochromic film which on reduction with the accompanying insertion of the charge compensating ions decreases its transmission of light of predetermined wavelength by an insulating electrolyte film that transports the charge compensating ions. First and second electrodes are contiguous with the inorganic oxide counter electrode film and the primary electrochromic film, respectively, and separated by the three films.

Resistivity control has been conducted by solid-state reaction of two different perovskite-type oxides. One is La{sub 0.5}Ba{sub 0.5}CoO{sub 3{minus}{delta}} (LBC) which showed metallic conduction, and its resistivity, {rho} was 10{sup {minus}3} {Omega} {center_dot} cm at 20 C. The other is Ba{sub 0.998}Sb{sub 0.002}TiO{sub 3} (BT) which showed positive temperature coefficient of resistivity (PTCR) effect. The sintered body of the mixture of the two oxides did not show PTCR effect. The logarithm of the resistivity of the sintered body, log {rho}{sub mix} was expressed using the resistivity of LBC, {rho}{sub LBC}, the molar ratio of BT, x, and temperature dependent constant, {alpha}(T) as log {rho}{sub mix} = (1 {minus} x) log {rho}{sub LBC} + x{alpha}(T), which holds for 0 {le} x {le} 0.8 at the temperature ranging from 20 to 240 C. {rho}{sub mix} changed by about 8 orders of magnitude at room temperature. X-ray diffraction analysis suggested that metal ions at the A-site move from one perovskite-type oxide to another and that the sintered body consisted of two perovskite-type oxides different from starting ones.

The encapsulation of iron nanoparticles in protective carbon cages leads to unique hybrid core-shell nanomaterials. Recent literature reports suggest that such nanocomposites can be obtained in a relatively simple process involving the solidstate carbothermal reduction of iron oxide nanoparticles. This approach is very attractive because it does not require advanced equipment and consumes less energy in comparison to widely used plasma methods. The presented more-in-depth study shows that the carbothermal approach is sensitive to temperature and the process yield strongly depends on the morphology and crystallinity of the carbon material used as a reductant. - Graphical abstract: Reduction of iron oxide nanoparticles by carbon black at 1200 deg. C yields well crystallized carbon-encapsulated iron nanoparticles. Highlights: > Carbon-encapsulated iron nanoparticles were synthesized by carbothermal reduction of iron oxide nanoparticles. > The process has the highest selectivity at 1200 C. > Lower temperatures result in iron oxide nanoparticles wrapped in carbon matrix. > The encapsulation rate of Fe at 1200 deg. C was found to be 15%.

Well-crystallized zinc oxide nanorods have been fabricated by single step solid-state reaction using zinc acetate and sodium hydroxide, at room temperature. The sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) stabilized zinc oxide nanorods were characterized by using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The X-ray diffraction revealed the wurtzite structure of zinc oxide. The size estimation by XRD and TEM confirmed that the ZnO nanorods are made of single crystals. The growth of zinc oxide crystals into rod shape was found to be closely related to its hexagonal nature. The mass ratio of SLS:ZnO in the nanorods was found to be 1:10 based on the thermogravimetric analysis. Blue shift of photoluminescence emission was noticed in the ZnO nanorods when compared to that of ZnO bulk. FT-IR analysis confirmed the binding of SLS with ZnO nanorods. Apart from ease of preparation, this method has the advantage of eco-friendliness since the solvent and other harmful chemicals were eliminated in the synthesis protocol.

A high contact resistance between the active materials and the current collector, a low ionic conductivity of the gel electrolyte, and an impenetrable electrode structure are the three major barriers which greatly limit the capacitance of MnO2 in solidstate supercapacitors. As a potential solution to these problems, in this work we report a novel electrode for solidstate supercapacitors, based on a ternary system composed of hierarchical MnO2 spheres as the active material, macroporous Ni foam as gel penetrable skeletons and an ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) membrane as the charge-transport accelerating layer. By employing butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMIMCl) modified gels as the ionic conducting electrolyte, the utilization efficiency of MnO2 on the specific capacitance was enhanced up to 88% of the theoretical value, delivering a volumetric capacitance of 81 F cm-3, which is the highest value among MnO2 based solidstate supercapacitors. Moreover, such a flexible device exhibits exceptional volumetric energy and power density (6.6 Wh L-1 and 549 W L-1, based on the whole device volume) combined with a small capacity loss of 8.5% after 6000 cycles under twisting. These encouraging findings unambiguously overcome the energy bottleneck of MnO2 in solidstate supercapacitors, and open up a new application of macro/mesoporous materials in flexible devices.A high contact resistance between the active materials and the current collector, a low ionic conductivity of the gel electrolyte, and an impenetrable electrode structure are the three major barriers which greatly limit the capacitance of MnO2 in solidstate supercapacitors. As a potential solution to these problems, in this work we report a novel electrode for solidstate supercapacitors, based on a ternary system composed of hierarchical MnO2 spheres as the active material, macroporous Ni foam as gel penetrable skeletons and an ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) membrane as the charge-transport accelerating

A solid-oxideelectrolyte operable at between 600.degree. C. and 800.degree. C. and a method of producing the solid-oxideelectrolyte are provided. The solid-oxideelectrolyte comprises a combination of a compound having weak metal-oxygen interactions with a compound having stronger metal-oxygen interactions whereby the resulting combination has both strong and weak metal-oxygen interaction properties.

Novel all-solid-state microsupercapacitors (MSCs) with three-dimensional (3D) electrodes consisting of active materials (i.e., graphene or activated carbon (AC) particles) and polymer electrolyte (PE) designed for high-energy-density storage applications were fabricated and tested in this work. The incorporation of PE in the electrode material enhances the accessibility of electrolyte ions to the surface of active materials and decreases the ion diffusion path during electrochemical charge/discharge. For a scan rate of 5 mV s-1, the MSCs with graphene/PE and AC/PE composite electrodes demonstrate a very high areal capacitance of 95 and 134 mF cm-2, respectively, comparable to that of 3D MSCs with liquid electrolyte. In addition, the graphene/PE MSCs show a ˜70% increase in specific capacitance after 10 000 charge/discharge cycles, attributed to an electro-activation process resulting from ion intercalation between the graphene nanosheets. The AC/PE MSCs also demonstrate excellent stability. The results of this study illustrate the potential of the present 3D MSCs for various high-density solid-state energy storage applications.

This report summarizes the work performed for Phase I (October 2001 - August 2006) under Cooperative Agreement DE-FC26-01NT41245 for the U. S. Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory (DOE/NETL) entitled 'SolidState Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Program'. The program focuses on the development of a low-cost, high-performance 3-to-10-kW solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system suitable for a broad spectrum of power-generation applications. During Phase I of the program significant progress has been made in the area of SOFC technology. A high-efficiency low-cost system was designed and supporting technology developed such as fuel processing, controls, thermal management, and power electronics. Phase I culminated in the successful demonstration of a prototype system that achieved a peak efficiency of 41%, a high-volume cost of $724/kW, a peak power of 5.4 kW, and a degradation rate of 1.8% per 500 hours. . An improved prototype system was designed, assembled, and delivered to DOE/NETL at the end of the program. This prototype achieved an extraordinary peak efficiency of 49.6%.

Solid-state 17O NMR spectra of 17O-labeled benzoic and anisic acids are reported and benzoic acid is used to probe the surface of metal oxides. Complexes formed when benzoic acid is dry-mixed with mesoporous silica, and nonporous titania and alumina are characterized. Chemical reactions with silica are not observed. The nature of benzoic acid on silica is a function of the water content of the oxide. The acid disperses in the pores of the silica if the silica is in equilibrium with ambient laboratory humidity. The acid displays high mobility as evidenced by a liquid-like, Lorentzian resonance. Excess benzoic acid remains as the crystalline hydrogen-bonded dimer. Benzoic acid reacts with titania and alumina surfaces in equilibrium with laboratory air to form the corresponding titanium and aluminum benzoates. In both materials the oxygen of the 17O-labeled acid is bound to the metal, showing the reaction proceeds by bond formation between oxygen deficient metal sites and the oxygen of the carboxylic acid. 27Al MAS NMR confirms this mechanism for the reaction on alumina. Dry mixing of benzoic acid with alumina rapidly quenches pentacoordinate aluminum sites, excellent evidence that these sites are confined to the surface of the alumina particles.

Graphene oxide (GO) is an attractive nanomaterial for many applications. Controlling the functionalization of GO is essential for the design of graphene-based conjugates with novel properties. But, the chemical composition of GO has not been fully elucidated yet. Due to the high reactivity of the oxygenated moieties, mainly epoxy, hydroxyl and carboxyl groups, several derivatization reactions may occur concomitantly. The reactivity of GO with amine derivatives has been exploited in the literature to design graphene-based conjugates, mainly through amidation. However, in this study we undoubtedly demonstrate using magic angle spinning (MAS) solid-state NMR that the reaction between GO and amine functions occurs via ring opening of the epoxides, and not by amidation. We also prove that there is a negligible amount of carboxylic acid groups in two GO samples obtained by a different synthesis process, hence eliminating the possibility of amidation reactions with amine derivatives. This work brings additional insights into the chemical reactivity of GO, which is fundamental to control its functionalization, and highlights the major role of MAS NMR spectroscopy for a comprehensive characterization of derivatized GO.Graphene oxide (GO) is an attractive nanomaterial for many applications. Controlling the functionalization of GO is essential for the design of graphene-based conjugates with novel properties. But, the chemical composition of GO has not been fully elucidated yet. Due to the high reactivity of the oxygenated moieties, mainly epoxy, hydroxyl and carboxyl groups, several derivatization reactions may occur concomitantly. The reactivity of GO with amine derivatives has been exploited in the literature to design graphene-based conjugates, mainly through amidation. However, in this study we undoubtedly demonstrate using magic angle spinning (MAS) solid-state NMR that the reaction between GO and amine functions occurs via ring opening of the epoxides, and not by

Aluminum Matrix Composites (AMCs) consisting of high-strength alloys and ceramic reinforcement phases exhibit a high potential for security relevant lightweight components due to their high specific mechanical properties. However, their application as tribologically stressed components is limited because of their susceptibility against fatigue wear and delamination wear. Oxide ceramic protective coatings produced by plasma electrolyticoxidation (PEO) can solve these problems and extend the possible applications of AMCs. The substrate material was powder metallurgically processed using alloy EN AW 2017 and SiC or Al2O3 particles. The influence of material properties like particle type, size and volume fraction on coating characteristics is clarified within this work. An alkaline silicate electrolyte was used to produce PEO coatings with technically relevant thicknesses under bipolar-pulsed current conditions. Coating properties were evaluated with regard to morphology, chemical composition, hardness and wear resistance. The particle type proved to have the most significant effect on the coating properties. Whereas compactness and thickness are not deteriorated by the incorporation of thermodynamically stable alumina particles, the decomposition of silica particles during the PEO processes causes an increase of the porosity. The higher silica particle content decreases also the coating thickness and hardness, which leads in particular to reduction of the wear resistance of the PEO coatings. Finally, different approaches for the reduction of the coating porosity of silica reinforced AMCs are discussed.

diameters and thermal histories. The bulk structural features in both compositions of glass fibers were identified using high-resolution 29Si, 27Al, and 11B magic-angle spinning (MAS) NMR spectroscopic measurements. In multi-component glasses, the determination of silicon, aluminum, and boron distributions becomes difficult due to the competitive nature of the network-modifying oxides among the network-forming oxides. In pure silicates, 29Si MAS NMR can often resolve resonances arising from silicate tetrahedron having varying numbers of bridging oxygens. In aluminoborosilicate glasses, aluminum is present in four-, five-, and six- coordination with oxygen as neighbors. The speciation of the aluminum can be determined using 27Al MAS NMR. The fraction of tetrahedral boron species in the glass fibers were measured using 11B MAS NMR, which is typically used to study the short-range structure of borate containing glasses such as alkali borate, borosilicate, and aluminoborosilicate glasses. While solid-state NMR is a powerful tool for elucidating bonding environments and coordination changes in the glass structure, it cannot quantitatively probe low to moderate surface area samples due to insufficient spins. Chemical probes either physisorbed or chemisorbed to the fiber's surface can increase the surface selectivity of NMR for analysis of samples with low surface areas and provide information about the local molecular structure of the reactive surface site. Common chemical probe molecules contain NMR active nuclei such as 19F or may be enriched with 13C. A silyating agent, (3,3,3-trifluoropropyl)dimethylchlorosilane (TFS), reacts with reactive surface hydroxyls, which can be quantified by utilizing the NMR active nucleus (19F) contained in the probe molecule. The observed 19F MAS NMR peak area is integrated and compared against a standard of known fluorine spins (concentration), allowing the number of reactive hydroxyl sites to be quantified. IGC is a method used to study the

Graphene oxide (GO) is an attractive nanomaterial for many applications. Controlling the functionalization of GO is essential for the design of graphene-based conjugates with novel properties. But, the chemical composition of GO has not been fully elucidated yet. Due to the high reactivity of the oxygenated moieties, mainly epoxy, hydroxyl and carboxyl groups, several derivatization reactions may occur concomitantly. The reactivity of GO with amine derivatives has been exploited in the literature to design graphene-based conjugates, mainly through amidation. However, in this study we undoubtedly demonstrate using magic angle spinning (MAS) solid-state NMR that the reaction between GO and amine functions occurs via ring opening of the epoxides, and not by amidation. We also prove that there is a negligible amount of carboxylic acid groups in two GO samples obtained by a different synthesis process, hence eliminating the possibility of amidation reactions with amine derivatives. This work brings additional insights into the chemical reactivity of GO, which is fundamental to control its functionalization, and highlights the major role of MAS NMR spectroscopy for a comprehensive characterization of derivatized GO. PMID:27411370

In this study, solids of polydiphenylamine (PDPA) synthesized mechanochemically by reaction with bentonite (PDPAOB) were studied using Raman spectroscopy. It was possible to identify the chemical species in the PDPA-bentonite compound. The spectra obtained were compared to the spectra of PDPA prepared chemically by oxidation of DPA with K2S2O8 in the solidstate, and PDPA produced electrochemically, with the aim of studying the characteristic frequencies of the aromatic segments (DPB), radical cation (DPB(+)) and dication (DPB(2+)) of N,N-diphenylbenzidine (DPB) in the polymer structure of the PDPA. To analyze the segments present, the band characteristic of CC asymmetric stretching of the aromatic ring in the Raman spectra was deconvoluted because of the widening of the band and shifts observed by irradiation at wavelengths of 532 and 785 nm. This procedure showed that there are three distinct contributions in the spectra which facilitate the monitoring of changes in the contributions of the segments in the materials doped with HCl (PDPAOBD) and de-doped with NH4OH, (PDPAOBR). PMID:26125986

Thin solid membranes are formed by a new strategy, whereby an in situ derived self-healing polymer matrix that penetrates the void space of an inorganic solid is created. The concept is applied as a separator in an all-solid-state battery with an FeS2 -based cathode and achieves tremendous performance for over 200 cycles. Processing in dry conditions represents a paradigm shift for incorporating high active-material mass loadings into mixed-matrix membranes. PMID:26421754

Solidstate oxygen sensors are provided with a yttria-doped zirconia as an electrolyte and use the electrochemical oxygen pumping of the zirconia electrolyte. A linear relationship between oxygen concentration and the voltage arising at a current plateau occurs when oxygen accessing the electrolyte is limited by a diffusion barrier. A diffusion barrier is formed herein with a mixed electronic and oxygen ion-conducting membrane of lanthanum-containing perovskite or zirconia-containing fluorite. A heater may be used to maintain an adequate oxygen diffusion coefficient in the mixed conducting layer.

Solidstate oxygen sensors are provided with a yttria-doped zirconia as an electrolyte and use the electrochemical oxygen pumping of the zirconia electrolyte. A linear relationship between oxygen concentration and the voltage arising at a current plateau occurs when oxygen accessing the electrolyte is limited by a diffusion barrier. A diffusion barrier is formed herein with a mixed electronic and oxygen ion-conducting membrane of lanthanum-containing perovskite or zirconia-containing fluorite. A heater may be used to maintain an adequate oxygen diffusion coefficient in the mixed conducting layer. 4 figs.

This study demonstrates the full infiltration of gel polymer electrolyte into silicon-coated vertically aligned carbon nanofibers (Si-VACNFs), a high-capacity 3D nanostructured anode, and the electrochemical characterization of its properties as an effective electrolyte/separator for future all-solid-state lithium-ion batteries. Two fabrication methods have been employed to form a stable interface between the gel polymer electrolyte and the Si-VACNF anode. In the first method, the drop-casted gel polymer electrolyte is able to fully infiltrate into the open space between the vertically aligned core-shell nanofibers and encapsulate/stabilize each individual nanofiber in the polymer matrix. The 3D nanostructured Si-VACNF anode shows a very high capacity of 3450 mAh g(-1) at C/10.5 (or 0.36 A g(-1)) rate and 1732 mAh g(-1) at 1C (or 3.8 A g(-1)) rate. In the second method, a preformed gel electrolyte film is sandwiched between an Si-VACNF electrode and a Li foil to form a half-cell. Most of the vertical core-shell nanofibers of the Si-VACNF anode are able to penetrate into the gel polymer film while retaining their structural integrity. The slightly lower capacity of 2800 mAh g(-1) at C/11 rate and ∼1070 mAh g(-1) at C/1.5 (or 2.6 A g(-1)) rate have been obtained, with almost no capacity fade for up to 100 cycles. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy does not show noticeable changes after 110 cycles, further revealing the stable interface between the gel polymer electrolyte and the Si-VACNFs anode. These results show that the infiltrated flexible gel polymer electrolyte can effectively accommodate the stress/strain of the Si shell due to the large volume expansion/contraction during the charge-discharge processes, which is particularly useful for developing future flexible solid-state lithium-ion batteries incorporating Si-anodes. PMID:26325385

Garnet-based Al-doped Li7La3Zr2O12 has the potential to be used as a solidstateelectrolyte for future lithium microbattery architectures, due to its relatively high Li+ conductivity and stability against Li. Through this work, a model experiment is presented in which the effect of post-lithiation on phase formation and chemical stability is studied for pulsed laser deposited Al-doped Li7La3Zr2O12 thin films on MgO substrates. We report the implications of the newly suggested post-lithiation route for films with thicknesses between 90 and 380 nm. The phase changes from cubic, to a mix of cubic and tetragonal Li7La3Zr2O12, to a cubic Li7La3Zr2O12 and La2Zr2O7 containing film is accompanied by a reduction in the degree of de-wetting as the thickness increases. This study reveals that the thicker, dense, and continuous films remain predominantly in a mixed phase containing cubic Li7La3Zr2O12 and the lithium free La2Zr2O7 phase whereas the thinner, de-wetted films exhibit improved lithium incorporation resulting in the absence of the lithium free phase. For tuning the electrical conductivity and effective use of these structures in future batteries, understanding this material system is of great importance as the chemical stability of the cubic Li7La3Zr2O12 phase in the thin film system will control its effective use. We report a conductivity of 1.2 × 10-3 S cm-1 at 325 °C for a 380 nm thick solidstateelectrolyte film on MgO for potential operation in future all solidstate battery assemblies.Garnet-based Al-doped Li7La3Zr2O12 has the potential to be used as a solidstateelectrolyte for future lithium microbattery architectures, due to its relatively high Li+ conductivity and stability against Li. Through this work, a model experiment is presented in which the effect of post-lithiation on phase formation and chemical stability is studied for pulsed laser deposited Al-doped Li7La3Zr2O12 thin films on MgO substrates. We report the implications of the newly

Garnet-based Al-doped Li7La3Zr2O12 has the potential to be used as a solidstateelectrolyte for future lithium microbattery architectures, due to its relatively high Li(+) conductivity and stability against Li. Through this work, a model experiment is presented in which the effect of post-lithiation on phase formation and chemical stability is studied for pulsed laser deposited Al-doped Li7La3Zr2O12 thin films on MgO substrates. We report the implications of the newly suggested post-lithiation route for films with thicknesses between 90 and 380 nm. The phase changes from cubic, to a mix of cubic and tetragonal Li7La3Zr2O12, to a cubic Li7La3Zr2O12 and La2Zr2O7 containing film is accompanied by a reduction in the degree of de-wetting as the thickness increases. This study reveals that the thicker, dense, and continuous films remain predominantly in a mixed phase containing cubic Li7La3Zr2O12 and the lithium free La2Zr2O7 phase whereas the thinner, de-wetted films exhibit improved lithium incorporation resulting in the absence of the lithium free phase. For tuning the electrical conductivity and effective use of these structures in future batteries, understanding this material system is of great importance as the chemical stability of the cubic Li7La3Zr2O12 phase in the thin film system will control its effective use. We report a conductivity of 1.2 × 10(-3) S cm(-1) at 325 °C for a 380 nm thick solidstateelectrolyte film on MgO for potential operation in future all solidstate battery assemblies. PMID:27455404

Quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (DSC) are fabricated using tetradodecylammonium bromide as a low molecular mass organogelator (LMOG) to form gel electrolyte with a high solution-to-gel transition temperature (T SG) of 75 °C to hinder flow and volatilization of the liquid. The steady-state voltammograms reveal that the diffusion of the I 3 - and I - in the gel electrolyte is hindered by the self-assembled network of the gel. An increased interfacial exchange current density (j 0) of 4.95 × 10 -8 A cm -2 and a decreased electron recombination lifetime (τ) of 117 ms reveal an increased electron recombination at the dyed TiO 2 photoelectrode/electrolyte interface in the DSC after gelation. The results of the accelerated aging tests show that the gel electrolyte based dye-sensitized solar cell can retain over 93% of its initial photoelectric conversion efficiency value after successive heating at 60 °C for 1000 h, and device degradation is negligible after one sun light soaking with UV cutoff filter for 1000 h.

We report the design of an all-solid-state supercapacitor, which has charge storage characteristics closely matching that of its liquid-state counterpart even under extreme temperature and humidity conditions. The prototype is made by electro-depositing polyethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT) onto the individual carbon fibers of a porous carbon substrate followed by intercalating the matrix with polyvinyl alcohol-sulphuric acid (PVA-H2SO4) gel electrolyte. The electrodeposited layer of PEDOT maintained a flower-like growth pattern along the threads of each carbon fiber. This morphology and the alignment of PEDOT led to an enhanced surface area and electrical conductivity, and the pores in the system enabled effective intercalation of the polymer-gel electrolyte. Thus, the established electrode-electrolyte interface nearly mimics that of its counterpart based on the liquid electrolyte. Consequently, the solid device attained very low internal resistance (1.1 Ω cm(-2)) and a high specific capacitance (181 F g(-1)) for PEDOT at a discharge current density of 0.5 A g(-1). Even with a high areal capacitance of 836 mF cm(-2) and volumetric capacitance of 28 F cm(-3), the solid device retained a mass-specific capacitance of 111 F g(-1) for PEDOT. This is in close agreement with the value displayed by the corresponding liquid-state system (112 F g(-1)), which was fabricated by replacing the gel electrolyte with 0.5 M H2SO4. The device also showed excellent charge-discharge stability for 12 000 cycles at 5 A g(-1). The performance of the device was consistent even under wide-ranging humidity (30-80%) and temperature (-10 to 80 °C) conditions. Finally, a device fabricated by increasing the electrode area four times was used to light an LED, which validated the scalability of the process. PMID:24764081

Stable solid electrolytes with high lithium ionic conductivity are crucial for all-solid-state lithium ion batteries. The compatibility with electrodes require a sintering temperature around 1000 °C. A perovskite-type (Li,Sr)(Zr,Nb)O3 system with A-site vacancy is designed and synthesized by a solid-state reaction route. Four compositions with different concentrations of A-site vacancy and several sintering temperatures between 1100 and 1300 °C are selected to find an optimal composition. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope are employed to analyze the crystalline phases and the microstructure of the sintered samples. The ionic conductivities of the materials are measured by AC impedance spectroscopy. For the sample with the optimal composition Li3/8Sr7/16Zr1/4Nb3/4O3 and sintered at 1200 °C, its total ionic conductivity is 2.00×10-5 and 1.65×10-4 Scm-1 at 30 and 100 °C, respectively. Its activation energy for lithium ion conduction is 0.26 eV.

Neutron scattering and first principles simulation are integrated to reveal the atomic-level to nanoscale structure of lithium lanthanum titanate (LLTO), a representative solid electrolyte material with applications in Li-ion batteries. The integrated approach solves the hierarchical local structure of LLTO in detail, including the coupled chemical order and topological distortion, as well as their correlation length scale and the spatial modulation with coherent boundaries. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations are used to map out the distribution of the mobile ions and identify the migration pathway. Overall, this integrated approach provides a powerful means for detailed study of materials with complex local chemical and topological environment.

A new type of electrochemical gas chromatographic (ECGC) detector is described. The detector consists of a film of polymer electrolyte, PEO{sub 16}/LiCF{sub 3}SO{sub 3}, coating a microelectrode-based electrochemical cell and in contact with the effluent stream of a gas chromatograph. The PEO{sub 16}/LiCF{sub 3}SO{sub 3} polymer acts as an ionically conducting but physically rigid medium. Currents passed at the microelectrode/polymer interface depend on reactions of electroactive solutes dissolved in and diffusing through the polymer phase. These currents respond to the presence of sample components in the gas phase through their sorption into, and plasticization of, the PEO polymer phase. The polymer plasticization results in larger diffusion coefficients for the electroactive solutes and, consequently, larger microelectrode currents. Several forms of electrochemical potential control are examined as are the effects of chosen electroactive probe, probe concentration, polymer film thickness, and gaseous sample concentration and sorption. Faster detector responses are obtained with thin PEO{sub 16}/LiCF{sub 3}SO{sub 3} films and faster diffusing electroactive probes. The detector responds linearly to small quantities of sample but exponentially to large sample concentrations. The detector is unusual in that it is most sensitive to later-eluting components of a sample mixture; this effect results from the connection between the degree of sample component sorption or partition into the polymer electrolyte and the resulting degree of polymer plasticization and transport rate enhancement.

Polymer electrolytes have been proposed as replacement for conventional liquid electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to their intrinsic enhanced safety. Nevertheless, the power delivery of these materials is limited by the concentration gradient of the lithium salt. Single-ion conducting polyelectrolytes represent the ideal solution since their nature prevents polarization phenomena. Herein, the preparation of a new family of single-ion conducting block copolymer polyelectrolytes via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization technique is reported. These copolymers comprise poly(lithium 1-[3-(methacryloyloxy)propylsulfonyl]-1-(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide) and poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate blocks. The obtained polyelectrolytes show low Tg values in the range of -61 to 0.6 °C, comparatively high ionic conductivity (up to 2.3 × 10(-6) and 1.2 × 10(-5) S cm(-1) at 25 and 55 °C, respectively), wide electrochemical stability (up to 4.5 V versus Li(+)/Li), and a lithium-ion transference number close to unity (0.83). Owing to the combination of all mentioned properties, the prepared polymer materials were used as solid polyelectrolytes and as binders in the elaboration of lithium-metal battery prototypes with high charge/discharge efficiency and excellent specific capacity (up to 130 mAh g(-1)) at C/15 rate. PMID:27043201

Preparation and characteristics of conductive-bridge random access memory devices containing Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) chalcogenide as the solid-stateelectrolyte, Ag as the active electrode, and W-Ti as the counter electrode are presented. As revealed by the electrical measurement, only the samples containing crystalline GST exhibited the resistive switching behaviors. With an insertion of ZnS-SiO2 dielectric layer at the Ag/GST interface and a postannealing at 100 °C for 1 min, the sample exhibited the best electrical performance with satisfactory cycleability and retention properties. Moreover, the forming-free and bi-directional polarity features were observed in such a sample type. Microstructure and composition analyses found the finely dispersed nano-scale Ag clusters in GST and, when electrical bias is applied, the migrating Ag ions may build up the connections in between neighboring Ag clusters. Moreover, grain boundaries in polycrystalline GST might be the main paths for Ag migration. The thread-like conduction channels in GST hence form, leading to the low resistance state of sample. On the contrary, the depletion of Ag in GST broke the connections in between Ag clusters when the electrical bias is reversed. This led to the rupture of conduction channels and, hence, the high resistance state of sample. The low operational voltage, forming-free, and bi-directional polarity features observed in (AZGW)T sample might also originated from the fine dispersion of Ag clusters in GST electrolyte.

We demonstrate a symmetric supercapacitor by using yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) as the electrolyte and silicon carbide nanowires (SiC NWs) as the electrode. The stacked symmetric SiC NWs/YSZ/SiC NWs supercapacitors exhibit excellent thermal stability and high areal capacitance at temperatures above 300 °C. The supercapacitor functions well at a record high temperature of 450 °C, yielding an areal capacitance of 92 μF cm(-2) at a voltage scan rate of 100 mV s(-1). At this temperature, it is also capable of withstanding current densities up to 50 μA cm(-2), yielding a maximum areal power density of 100 μW cm(-2). Good cycling stability is demonstrated with a capacitance retention of over 60% after 10,000 cycles at the operation temperature of 450 °C and a scan rate of 200 mV s(-1). PMID:26569457

High-pressure crystal growth and synthesis of selected solid-state osmium oxides, many of which are perovskite-related types, are briefly reviewed, and their magnetic and electrical properties are introduced. Crystals of the osmium oxides, including NaOsO3, LiOsO3, and Na2OsO4, were successfully grown under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions at 6 GPa in the presence of an appropriate amount of flux in a belt-type apparatus. The unexpected discovery of a magnetic metal-insulator transition in NaOsO3, a ferroelectric-like transition in LiOsO3, and high-temperature ferrimagnetism driven by a local structural distortion in Ca2FeOsO6 may represent unique features of the osmium oxides. The high-pressure and high-temperature synthesis and crystal growth has played a central role in the development of solid-state osmium oxides and the elucidation of their magnetic and electronic properties toward possible use in multifunctional devices.

Owing to their multiple redox couples, titanium-niobium-based oxides are still considered promising candidates for use as anodes for safe, rechargeable lithium ion batteries with high energy and power densities. Titanium-niobium-based oxide electrodes have, however, exhibited relatively poor cycling performance as a result of pulverization. In this study, we report on a simple two-step solid-state reaction route for producing hybrid composites of Ti2Nb10O29 (TNO) anchored on reduced graphene oxide (RGO), and the electrochemical performance of the resulting TNO/RGO composites. Solid-state reactions enable both the formation of TNO and the uniform distribution of RGO in the TNO/RGO composites. The TNO/RGO composites exhibited discharge and charge capacities of 261 and 256 mAh g-1, respectively, with much better cycling performance (182 mAh g-1 after the 50th cycles) and rate capability (165 mAh g-1 at a current density of 500 mA g-1) compared to the pure TNO.

In this study, lithium thio-germanate thin amorphous films were prepared as electrolytes for lithium rechargeable batteries by RF sputtering deposition in Ar atmosphere. The targets for RF sputtering were prepared by milling the appropriate amounts of the starting materials in the nLi2S+GeS 2(n = 1, 2, and 3), Li2GeS3, Li4GeS 4 and Li6GeS5, binary system. The ~1 mum thin film electrolytes were grown onto a variety of substrates using 50 W power and 25 mtorr gas pressure. Films were sputtered in inactive Ar atmospheres. IR, Raman spectroscopy and XRD were used to characterize the chemical bonding and the local structures in the films. XPS spectroscopy was used to further characterize the composition and electronic structures of the films. Ionic conductivity measurements of the electrolyte film using impedance spectroscopy were used to examine the Li2S dependence of the conductivity. The conductivities of the thin films at 25 °C is 1.7 x 10-3 (S/cm). This ionic conductivities of the thin films are two order magnitude higher than oxide thin films (LiPON) which are commercial thin film electrolytes. Therefore, lithium thio-germanate thin film electrolytes are very promising materials for use Li-ion batteries.

We report the design of an all-solid-state supercapacitor, which has charge storage characteristics closely matching that of its liquid-state counterpart even under extreme temperature and humidity conditions. The prototype is made by electro-depositing polyethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT) onto the individual carbon fibers of a porous carbon substrate followed by intercalating the matrix with polyvinyl alcohol-sulphuric acid (PVA-H2SO4) gel electrolyte. The electrodeposited layer of PEDOT maintained a flower-like growth pattern along the threads of each carbon fiber. This morphology and the alignment of PEDOT led to an enhanced surface area and electrical conductivity, and the pores in the system enabled effective intercalation of the polymer-gel electrolyte. Thus, the established electrode-electrolyte interface nearly mimics that of its counterpart based on the liquid electrolyte. Consequently, the solid device attained very low internal resistance (1.1 Ω cm-2) and a high specific capacitance (181 F g-1) for PEDOT at a discharge current density of 0.5 A g-1. Even with a high areal capacitance of 836 mF cm-2 and volumetric capacitance of 28 F cm-3, the solid device retained a mass-specific capacitance of 111 F g-1 for PEDOT. This is in close agreement with the value displayed by the corresponding liquid-state system (112 F g-1), which was fabricated by replacing the gel electrolyte with 0.5 M H2SO4. The device also showed excellent charge-discharge stability for 12 000 cycles at 5 A g-1. The performance of the device was consistent even under wide-ranging humidity (30-80%) and temperature (-10 to 80 °C) conditions. Finally, a device fabricated by increasing the electrode area four times was used to light an LED, which validated the scalability of the process.We report the design of an all-solid-state supercapacitor, which has charge storage characteristics closely matching that of its liquid-state counterpart even under extreme temperature and humidity conditions

Microwaves (MWs) are applied to initialize deoxygenation of graphene oxide (GO) in the solidstate and at low temperatures (∼165 °C). The Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of MW-reduced graphene oxide (rGO) show a significantly reduced concentration of oxygen-containing functional groups, such as carboxyl, hydroxyl and carbonyl. X-ray photoelectron spectra confirm that microwaves can promote deoxygenation of GO at relatively low temperatures. Raman spectra and TGA measurements indicate that the defect level of GO significantly decreases during the isothermal solid-state MW-reduction process at low temperatures, corresponding to an efficient recovery of the fine graphene lattice structure. Based on both deoxygenation and defect-level reduction, the resurgence of interconnected graphene-like domains contributes to a low sheet resistance (∼7.9×10(4) Ω per square) of the MW-reduced GO on SiO(2) -coated Si substrates with an optical transparency of 92.7 % at ∼547 nm after MW reduction, indicating the ultrahigh efficiency of MW in GO reduction. Moreover, the low-temperature solid-state MW reduction is also applied in preparing flexible transparent conductive coatings on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates. UV/Vis measurements indicate that the transparency of the thus-prepared MW-reduced GO coatings on PDMS substrates ranges from 34 to 96 %. Correspondingly, the sheet resistance of the coating ranges from 10(5) to 10(9) Ω per square, indicating that MW reduction of GO is promising for the convenient low-temperature preparation of transparent conductors on flexible polymeric substrates. PMID:22930478

Mesoporous titanium oxide synthesized using a dodecylamine template was treated with 0.2, 0.6, and 1.0 equiv of Li- or Na-naphthalene. The composite materials were characterized by nitrogen adsorption, powder X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, and solid-state 23Na and 7Li NMR spectroscopy. In all cases the wormhole mesoporosity was retained as evidenced by BET surface areas from 400 to 700 m(2)/g, Horvath-Kawazoe pore sizes in the 20 Angstroms range, and a lack of hysteresis in the nitrogen adsorption isotherms. Variable-temperature conductivity studies show that the Li-reduced materials are semiconductors, with conductivity values 3 orders of magnitude higher than those of the Na-reduced materials. Electrochemical measurements demonstrate reversible intercalation/deintercalation of Li+ ions into pristine mesoporous Ti oxides with good cycling capacity. Solid-state 23Na NMR reveals two distinct Na environments: one corresponding to sodium ions in the mesoporous channels and the other corresponding to sodium ions intercalated into the metal framework. 23Na NMR spectra also indicate that the relative population of the framework site increases with increased reduction levels. Solid-state 7Li NMR spectra display a single broad resonance, which increases in breadth with increased reduction levels, though individual resonances inferring the presence of channel and framework Li species are not resolved. Comparisons of the lithium chemical shifts with published values suggests an "anatase-like structure" with no long-range order in the least-reduced samples but a "lithium titanate-like structure" with no long-range order in the higher reduced materials. PMID:16472000

A solidstate gas sensor generates an electrical potential between an equilibrium electrode and a second electrode indicative of a gas to be sensed. A solid electrolyte substrate has the second electrode mounted on a first portion of the electrolyte substrate and a composite equilibrium electrode including conterminous transition metal oxide and Pt components mounted on a second portion of the electrolyte substrate. The composite equilibrium electrode and the second electrode are electrically connected to generate an electrical potential indicative of the gas that is being sensed. In a particular embodiment of the present invention, the second electrode is a reference electrode that is exposed to a reference oxygen gas mixture so that the electrical potential is indicative of the oxygen in a gas stream.

70Li2S·(30-x)P2S5·xLi3PO4 (mol%) amorphous powders are prepared by a high-energy ball milling technique, and the glass-ceramics are obtained by the crystallization of as-prepared amorphous samples. The XRD patterns show that a crystalline phase with a Li7P3S11 structure is obtained for x ≤ 3, while a structure change is observed for x = 5. The Li+-ion conductivity is enhanced by the substitution of Li3PO4 for P2S5, and the 70Li2S·29P2S5·1Li3PO4 glass-ceramics exhibit the highest total conductivity of 1.87 × 10-3 S cm-1 at 25 °C and the lowest activation energy of 18 kJ mol-1. The LiCoO2 in the all-solid-state cell of In-Li/70Li2S·29P2S5·1Li3PO4/LiCoO2 exhibits a discharge capacity of 108 mAh g-1, which is 20% higher than that in the In-Li/70Li2S·30P2S5/LiCoO2 cell. The higher discharge capacity of the LiCoO2 electrode is attributed to the higher Li+-ion conductivity of the solid electrolyte and lower interface resistance of electrode-electrolyte.

A new electrochemical immunosensor based on solid-state voltammetry was fabricated for the detection of Escherichia coli (E. coli) by using graphene oxide-Ag nanoparticle composites (P-GO-Ag) as labels. To construct the platform, Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) were first self-assembled on an Au electrode surface through cysteamine and served as an effective matrix for antibody (Ab) attachment. Under a sandwich-type immunoassay format, the analyte and the probe (P-GO-Ag-Ab) were successively captured onto the immunosensor. Finally, the bonded AgNPs were detected through a solid-state redox process in 0.2 M of KCl solution. Combining the advantages of the high-loading capability of graphene oxide with promoted electron-transfer rate of AuNPs, this immunosensor produced a 26.92-fold signal enhancement compared with the unamplified protocol. Under the optimal conditions, the immunosensor exhibited a wide linear dependence on the logarithm of the concentration of E. coli ranging from 50 to 1.0 × 10(6) cfu mL(-1) with a detection limit of 10 cfu mL(-1). Moreover, as a practical application, the proposed immunosensor was used to monitor E. coli in lake water with satisfactory results. PMID:23662298

Due to their outstanding specific mechanical and high-temperature properties, titanium aluminides exhibit a high potential for lightweight components exposed to high temperatures. However, their application is limited through their low wear resistance and the increasing high-temperature oxidation starting from about 750 °C. By the use of oxide ceramic coatings, these constraints can be set aside and the possible applications of titanium aluminides can be extended. The plasma electrolyticoxidation (PEO) represents a process for the generation of oxide ceramic conversion coatings with high thickness. The current work aims at the clarification of different electrolyte components’ influences on the oxide layer evolution on alloy TNM-B1 (Ti43.5Al4Nb1Mo0.1B) and the creation of compact and wear resistant coatings. Model experiments were applied using a ramp-wise increase of the anodic potential in order to show the influence of electrolyte components on the discharge initiation and the early stage of the oxide layer growth. The production of PEO layers with technically relevant thicknesses close to 100 μm was conducted in alkaline electrolytes with varying amounts of Na2SiO3·5H2O and K4P2O7 under symmetrically pulsed current conditions. Coating properties were evaluated with regard to morphology, chemical composition, hardness and wear resistance. The addition of phosphates and silicates leads to an increasing substrate passivation and the growth of compact oxide layers with higher thicknesses. Optimal electrolyte compositions for maximum coating hardness and thickness were identified by statistical analysis. Under these conditions, a homogeneous inner layer with low porosity can be achieved. The frictional wear behavior of the compact coating layer is superior to a hard anodized layer on aluminum.

Many microbes, including both bacteria and fungi, produce manganese (Mn) oxides by oxidizing soluble Mn(II) to form insoluble Mn(IV) oxide minerals, a kinetically much faster process than abiotic oxidation. These biogenic Mn oxides drive the Mn cycle, coupling it with diverse biogeochemical cycles and determining the bioavailability of environmental contaminants, mainly through strong adsorption and redox reactions. This mini review introduces recent findings based on quantum mechanical density functional theory that reveal the detailed mechanisms of toxic metal adsorption at Mn oxide surfaces and the remarkable role of Mn vacancies in the photochemistry of these minerals.

Solid-state deformation processing is a promising technique for modifying the physical and mechanical properties of highly crosslinked ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) beyond simple thermal treatment cycles that have been employed previously. This study evaluates anisotropy and oxidative resistance in a novel, radiation crosslinked (50 kGy) UHMWPE material (ArComXL: Biomet, Inc., Warsaw, IN), incorporating solid-state, deformation processing by extrusion below the melt transition for application in total hip arthroplasty. Tensile, compression, and small punch tests were conducted to evaluate the material properties in the three principal axes of the resulting material. Furthermore, short-term oxidative resistance was evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and the small punch test in conjunction with accelerated shelf aging protocols. The results of this testing indicate that the material is anisotropic, with significantly enhanced strength oriented along the long axis of the rod. For certain other properties, the magnitude of the anisotropy was relatively slight, especially in the elastic regime, in which only a 20% difference was noted between the long axis of the rod and the orthogonal, radial direction. The highly crosslinked material contains detectable free radicals, at a concentration that is 90% less than control, gamma inert sterilized UHMWPE. An unexpected finding of this study was evidence of oxidative stability of the deformation-processed material, even after 4 weeks of accelerated aging in a pressure vessel containing five atmospheres of oxygen (ASTM F2003), which resulted in macroscopic embrittlement of the control material. The oxidative stability observed in ArComXL suggests that the deformation-processed material may be suitable for air-permeable packaging and gas sterilization, which has thus far been reserved for remelted highly crosslinked UHMWPE. PMID:16085308

Ligninolytic and hydrolytic enzymes were produced with six selected fungi on flax substrate by solidstate fermentation (SSF). The extracellular enzyme production of the organisms in two SSF media was evaluated by measuring the soluble protein concentration and the filter paper, endoxylanase, 1,4-β-d-glucosidase, 1,4-β-d-endoglucanase, polygalacturonase, lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase and laccase activities of the clear culture solutions produced by conventional extraction from the SSF materials. The SSF material of the best enzyme producer (Trichoderma virens TUB F-498) was further investigated to enhance the enzyme recovery by low frequency ultrasound treatment. Performance of both the original and ultrasound macerated crude enzyme mixtures was evaluated in degradation of the colored lignin-containing and waxy materials of raw linen fabric. Results proved that sonication (at 40%, 60% and 80% amplitudes, for 60min) did not result in reduction in the filter paper, lignin peroxidase and laccase activities of the crude enzyme solution, but has a significant positive effect on the efficiency of enzyme extraction from the SSF material. Depending on the parameters of sonication, the enzyme activities in the extracts obtained can be increased up to 129-413% of the original activities measured in the control extracts recovered by a common magnetic stirrer. Sonication also has an effect on both the enzymatic removal of the lignin-containing color materials and hydrophobic surface layer from the raw linen. PMID:25043555

The effects of metal choice on the electrochemical performance of oxygen-shuttle metal-air batteries with Ca-stabilized ZrO2 (CSZ) as the electrolyte and various metals as the anodes were studied at 1073 K. The equilibrium oxygen partial pressure (P O 2) in the anode chamber was governed by the metal used in the anode chamber. A lower-P O 2 environment in the anode decreased the polarization resistance of the anode. The oxidation of oxide ions to oxygen in the anode is drastically enhanced by the n-type conduction generated in the CSZ electrolyte when it is exposed to a reducing atmosphere. A high discharge potential and high capacity can be achieved in an oxygen-shuttle battery with a Li or Mg anode because of the fast anode reaction compared to that of cells with a Zn, Fe, or Sn anode. However, only the mildly reducing metals (Zn, Si, Fe, and Sn) can potentially be used in rechargeable metal-air batteries because the transport number of the CSZ electrolyte must be unity during charge and discharge. Oxygen shuttle rechargeable batteries with Fe, and Sn electrodes are demonstrated. PMID:25727525

An electrochemical cell is made having a porous fuel electrode (16) and a porous air electrode (13), with solid oxideelectrolyte (15) therebetween, where the air electrode surface opposing the electrolyte has a separate, attached, dense, continuous layer (14) of a material containing cerium oxide, and where electrolyte (16) contacts the continuous oxide layer (14), without contacting the air electrode (13).

Our developed all-solid-state switchable mirror as a smart window is consisted in multi-layer of Mg4Ni/Pd/Ta2O5/WO3/ITO/glass and can switch reversibly from the reflective state to the transparent one. The development of high performance solid electrolyte thin film of Ta2O5 is important for fast speed switching and high durability of the device. In this work, we have investigated the electrochemical property of Ta2O5 thin film deposited by reactive DC magnetron sputtering. The effect of thickness on electrochemical and proton conductivities of Ta2O5 thin film was investigated. The Ta2O5 thin film with a thickness of 400 nm had better proton conductivity of 1.5×10-9 S/cm measured by AC impedance method. The transmittance at wavelength of 670 nm of the device with 400 nm thick Ta2O5 thin film was changed from 0.1% (reflective state) to 51% (transparent state) within 10 s by applying voltage of 5 V. The device showed high durability up to two-thousand switching cycles.

Vanadium doped zinc oxide with different vanadium concentration were synthesized by conventional solidstate reaction. The structural and optical properties of ZnO: V2O5 pellets were studied by using a panalytic diffraktometer (X'pert) with Cu-K radiation, the UV-visible spectrophotometer and photoluminescence (PL). X-ray diffraction (XRD) show that all the samples have a wurtzite structure and grow mainly in the (101) orientation, we show also the presence of dominated phase Zn3 (VO4)2, Optical studied indicate a decrease in optical band gap energy, and photoluminescence (PL) spectra showed a strong visible emission band, energy position and intensity of this emission depends on the temperature measurement. The activate energy Ea has been fitted and studied using Arunis equation.

The actinide oxides have been extensively studied in the context of the nuclear fuel cycle. They are also of fundamental interest as members of a class of strongly correlated materials, the Mott insulators. Their complex physical and chemical properties make them challenging systems to characterize, both experimentally and theoretically. Chiefly, this is because actinide oxides can exhibit both electronic localization and electronic delocalization and have partially occupied f orbitals, which can lead to multiple possibilities for ground states. Of particular concern for theoretical work is that the large number of competing states display strong correlations which are dffcult to capture with computationally tractable methods.

Flexible power sources including fuel cells and batteries are the key to realizing flexible electronic devices with pronounced foldability. To understand the bending effects in these devices, theoretical analysis on three-dimensional (3-D) lattice bending is necessary. In this report, we derive a 3-D analytical model to analyze the effects of electrolyte crystal bending on ionic conductivity in flexible solid-state batteries/fuel cells. By employing solid oxide fuel cells as a materials' platform, the intrinsic parameters of bent electrolyte materials, including lattice constant, Young's modulus, and Poisson ratio, are evaluated. Our work facilitates the rational design of highly efficient flexible electrolytes for high-performance flexible device applications.

Role of nitrogen oxide in ambient air is described and analyzed. New method of nitrogen oxide concentration measurement in gas phase is suggested based on ozone concentration measurement with titration by nitrogen oxide. Research of chemiluminescent sensor composition is carried out on experimental stand. The sensor produced on the base of solidstate non-activated chemiluminescent composition is applied as ozone sensor. Composition is put on the surface of polymer matrix with developed surface. Sensor compositions includes gallic acid with addition of rodamine-6G. Model of interaction process between sensor composition and ozone has been developed, main products appeared during reaction are identified. The product determining the speed of luminescense appearance is found. This product belongs to quinone class. Then new structure of chemiluminescent composition was suggested, with absence of activation period and with high stability of operation. Experimental model of gas analyzer was constructed and operation algorithm was developed. It was demonstrated that developed NO measuring instrument would be applied for monitoring purposes of ambient air. This work was partially financially supported by Government of Russian Federation, Grant 074-U01

Emphasis has been on the electronic materials: silica, titania, and ruthenia. Fundamental interest centered on nature of microstructure of these solids in the amorphous state, or mixed oxide state. New theoretical techniques have been implemented to examine such issues, based on ab initio pseudopotential methods and interatomic potentials. Some areas examined under this project are: (1) Nature of the amorphization transformation of quartz under pressure. Specific focus is on the microscopic nature of the amorphous material and the driving forces for amorphization. (2) Equation of states of crystalline silica polymorphs. (3) Elastic anomalies in silica. In particular, the existence of a ``negative`` Poisson ratio in high temperature, low density forms of crystalline silica. (4) Optical and structural properties of titania and mixed oxides such as Ru{sub x}Ti{sub 1-x}O{sub 2}.

Terahertz spectroscopy provides a noninvasive and nondestructive method for detecting and identifying concealed explosives. In this work, the room-temperature and cryogenic terahertz spectra of two common improvised explosive oxidizers, namely, potassium nitrate (KN) and ammonium nitrate (AN), are presented, along with detailed solid-state density functional theory (DFT) analyses of the crystalline structures and spectral features. At both 294 and 78 K, KN exhibits two terahertz absorption features below 100 cm(-1) that have been assigned through DFT simulations to arise from hindered nitrate rotations in the KN-II crystalline polymorph. The terahertz spectrum of AN exhibits a pronounced temperature dependence. The 294 K spectrum is free of any absorptions, whereas the 78 K spectrum consists of several narrow and intense peaks. The origin of this large difference is the polymorphic transition that occurs during cooling of AN, where room-temperature AN-IV is converted to AN-V at 255 K. The 78 K terahertz spectrum of AN is assigned here to various ion rotations and translations in the AN-V polymorph lattice. The analysis of the room-temperature AN-IV terahertz spectrum proved to be more complicated. The solid-state DFT simulations predicted that the room-temperature crystal structure of AN is not very well described using the standard Pmmn space-group symmetry as previously believed. The AN-IV polymorph actually belongs to the Pmn2(1) space group, and the perceived Pmmn symmetry results from vibrational averaging through nitrate rotations. This newly observed Pmn2(1) crystal symmetry for room-temperature AN is the reason for the absence of absorption features in the 294 K terahertz spectrum of AN and provides new insight into the polymorphic transitions of this ionic solid. PMID:22007790

Nanostructured oxides find multiple uses in a diverse range of applications including catalysis, energy storage, and environmental management, their higher surface areas, and, in some cases, electronic properties resulting in different physical properties from their bulk counterparts. Developing structure-property relations for these materials requires a determination of surface and subsurface structure. Although microscopy plays a critical role owing to the fact that the volumes sampled by such techniques may not be representative of the whole sample, complementary characterization methods are urgently required. We develop a simple nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) strategy to detect the first few layers of a nanomaterial, demonstrating the approach with technologically relevant ceria nanoparticles. We show that the (17)O resonances arising from the first to third surface layer oxygen ions, hydroxyl sites, and oxygen species near vacancies can be distinguished from the oxygen ions in the bulk, with higher-frequency (17)O chemical shifts being observed for the lower coordinated surface sites. H2 (17)O can be used to selectively enrich surface sites, allowing only these particular active sites to be monitored in a chemical process. (17)O NMR spectra of thermally treated nanosized ceria clearly show how different oxygen species interconvert at elevated temperature. Density functional theory calculations confirm the assignments and reveal a strong dependence of chemical shift on the nature of the surface. These results open up new strategies for characterizing nanostructured oxides and their applications. PMID:26601133

Recently the reductive expansion synthesis (RES) method was introduced as a means to create nano- and sub-micron metal particles and alloys by rapid heating of physical mixtures of urea with a metal nitrate. In the present work the generality of the RES method was demonstrated by creating metal micron and sub-micron particles from oxide and hydroxide precursors, and outlining the impact of temperature, precursor ratio, and gas flow rate on the product. For example, precursor selection impacted the temperature required for complete reduction, the amount of carbon present, and the size of the metal particles. For complete NiO reduction to micron scale particles, high urea content and a high temperature [ ca. 1073 K (800 °C)] were required. In contrast, Ni(OH)2 was reduced to metal at far lower temperatures. Moreover, the Ni particles formed from NiOH were sub-micron ( ca. 200 nm) in size and carbon encapsulated. Other parameter variations had a similarly significant impact. Indeed, the reciprocal relationship between inert gas flow rate and the extent of reduction supports the supposition that the primary mechanism of reduced metal particle formation is the reduction of metal oxide particles by gases produced by urea decomposition. Collectively these and other findings indicate the RES method can be manipulated to create a range of micron and sub-micron reduced metal particle architectures appropriate for different applications.

Nanostructured oxides find multiple uses in a diverse range of applications including catalysis, energy storage, and environmental management, their higher surface areas, and, in some cases, electronic properties resulting in different physical properties from their bulk counterparts. Developing structure-property relations for these materials requires a determination of surface and subsurface structure. Although microscopy plays a critical role owing to the fact that the volumes sampled by such techniques may not be representative of the whole sample, complementary characterization methods are urgently required. We develop a simple nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) strategy to detect the first few layers of a nanomaterial, demonstrating the approach with technologically relevant ceria nanoparticles. We show that the 17O resonances arising from the first to third surface layer oxygen ions, hydroxyl sites, and oxygen species near vacancies can be distinguished from the oxygen ions in the bulk, with higher-frequency 17O chemical shifts being observed for the lower coordinated surface sites. H217O can be used to selectively enrich surface sites, allowing only these particular active sites to be monitored in a chemical process. 17O NMR spectra of thermally treated nanosized ceria clearly show how different oxygen species interconvert at elevated temperature. Density functional theory calculations confirm the assignments and reveal a strong dependence of chemical shift on the nature of the surface. These results open up new strategies for characterizing nanostructured oxides and their applications. PMID:26601133

Recently, manipulating heat transport by phononic devices has received significant attention, in which phonon--a heat pulse through lattice, is used to carry energy. In addition to heat control, the thermal devices might also have broad applications in the renewable energy engineering, such as thermoelectric energy harvesting. Elementary phononic devices such as diode, transistor and logic devices have been theoretically proposed. In this work, we experimentally create a macroscopic scale thermal rectifier based on reduced graphene oxide. Obvious thermal rectification ratio up to 1.21 under 12 K temperature bias has been observed. Moreover, this ratio can be enhanced further by increasing the asymmetric ratio. Collectively, our results raise the exciting prospect that the realization of macroscopic phononic device with large-area graphene based materials is technologically feasible, which may open up important applications in thermal circuits and thermal management. PMID:22826801

Porous substrates and associated structures for solid-state electrochemical devices, such as solid-oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), are low-cost, mechanically strong and highly electronically conductive. Some preferred structures have a thin layer of an electrocatalytically active material (e.g., Ni--YSZ) coating a porous high-strength alloy support (e.g., SS-430) to form a porous SOFC fuel electrode. Electrode/electrolyte structures can be formed by co-firing or constrained sintering processes.

Porous substrates and associated structures for solid-state electrochemical devices, such as solid-oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), are low-cost, mechanically strong and highly electronically conductive. Some preferred structures have a thin layer of an electrocatalytically active material (e.g., Ni--YSZ) coating a porous high-strength alloy support (e.g., SS-430) to form a porous SOFC fuel electrode. Electrode/electrolyte structures can be formed by co-firing or constrained sintering processes.

Lithium/solid polymer electrolyte (SPE)/sulfur cells were studied in operando by two techniques: Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy (UV-vis). During the operation of the cell, extensive polysulfide dissolution in the solid polymer electrolyte (cross-linked polyethylene oxide) leads to the formation of a catholyte. A clear micrograph of the thick passivation layer on the sulfur-rich anode and the decreased SPE thickness by cycling confirmed the failure mechanism; the capacity decays by reducing the amount of active material, and by contributing to a charge inhibiting mechanism called polysulfide shuttle. The formation of elemental sulfur is clearly visible in real time during the charge process beyond 2.3 V. The non-destructive in operando UV-vis study also shows the presence of characteristic absorption peaks evolving with cycling, demonstrating the accumulation of various polysulfide species, and the predominant formation of S42- and of S62- during discharge and charge, respectively. This finding implies that the charge and discharge reactions are not completely reversible and proceed along different pathways.

The objective of this dissertation is to investigate the transport of H2O in perovskite type proton conducting oxides and their electrical conductivies due to protons, oxygen ions, and electron holes. In Chapter 2, polycrystalline samples in the system BaO-ZrO2-Y 2O3 (YO1.5), predominantly containing Y-doped BaZrO3, and yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), were fabricated. The as-sintered samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and chemically analyzed by electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). A tentative phase diagram (isothermal section at 1600°C) of the BaO-ZrO2-YO1.5 system was established. In Chapter 3, H2O incorporation was investigated by means of electrical conductivity relaxation measurement using a 4 probe dc method. Several models were used to fit the experimental traces of conductivity vs. time, and to estimate the chemical diffusion coefficient of H 2O, D˜H2O , and the surface exchange constant, kexc, over a range of temperatures from 400°C to 900°C. In Chapter 4 and 5, the partial electrical conductivities in Ba 3Ca1.18Nb1.82O(9-delta) (BCN18) due to protons, oxygen ions, and electron holes were calculated and measured as functions of pO2,pH2 O , and temperature. Electrical conduction domains and the activation energies associated with the electrical conduction by oxygen ions and electron holes were determined. In Chapter 6, the change in electrical conductivity in response to the change of pH2O was investigated on BCN18 of both dense and porous samples at various pH2O . The empirical relationships between the change in electrical conductivity and pH2O were determined. Also, the response rate was characterized and analyzed as functions of sample porosity and temperature.

Advances in Li metal anode stabilization, solid-stateelectrolytes, and capabilities to insert a variety of active ions (Li(+), Na(+), Mg(2+), and Al(3+)) have renewed the interest in layered vanadium oxides. Here we show that crystal characteristics such as size and crystallinity are fundamental variables that control the dissimilar electrochemical capabilities of 1D vanadium oxides immersed in different electrolytes (organic carbonates and safe electrolytes containing 80% of ionic liquid). We show that this opposite behavior can be understood in terms of a subtle interplay between crystal characteristics (size and crystallinity), electrolyte degradability, and the ionic conductivity of the electrolyte. Thus, through this control we are able to obtain pure 1D vanadium oxides that show reversibility in carbonate electrolytes at a cutoff voltage of 1.5 V (voltage region where insertion of more than two lithium ions is possible). Furthermore, these materials are able to uptake ca. 1.0 mol of Li at a rate of 20C (1C = 295 mAh/g) and retain excellent capabilities (Coulombic efficiency of 98% after 200 cycles at a rate of 5C). Finally, what, to our knowledge, is really remarkable is that this optimization allows building vanadium oxide electrodes with an excellent electrochemical response in a safe electrolyte composition (80% of ionic liquid). Specifically, we reach uptakes also at a cutoff voltage of 1.5 V of ca. 1.0 mol of Li after 200 cycles at 5C (charge/discharge) with Coulombic efficiencies higher than 99.5%. PMID:26743032

Solid-state sensor nanostructured materials (SnO2, ZnO and CeO2) have been prepared by pyrolysis of macromolecular complexes: PSP-co-4-PVP x (SnCl2)n, PSP-co-4-PVP x (ZnCl2)n and PSP-co-4-PVP x (Ce(NO3)3)n in several molar ratios under air at 800 degrees C. The as-prepared nanostructured SnO2 exhibits morphologies and particle sizes which are dependent upon the molar ratio of the SnCl2:PSP-co-4-PVP. When a larger weight fraction of the inorganic salt in the precursor mixture is used (1:10 > 1:5 > 1.1) larger crystalline crystals are found for each oxide. For ZnO and CeO2 agglomerates of morphologies from the respective hexagonal and cubic structures were observed with typical sizes of 30-50 nm in both cases for a precursor mixture ratio of 1:1. PMID:25924326

Electrochemical capacitors and rechargeable batteries are still limited in applications by the low energy and power densities they can deliver, respectively, holding back their deployment in electric vehicles. Here we develop a type of solid-state hybrid cells (SHCs) composed of graphene nanoribbons and nanosheets-coated metal oxide nanorod arrays ((MOx/GNR)@GNS). GNR and GNS are deposited on the surface of MOx nanorod arrays to improve the electron transport characteristic, and thus enhance the energy storage performance. The (MOx/GNR)@GNS-based SHCs can achieve a maximum volumetric energy density of 0.9 mWh cm-3, and still retain 0.4 mWh cm-3 even at 0.1 W cm-3. The energy storage performance is much better than the electrochemical capacitors reported previously, and can even rival the commercial Li thin-film battery but with a significantly higher power density, lower cost and higher safety. Also demonstrated is the good long-term cycle life with only ∼17% loss after 2500 cycles. These salient features make the (MOx/GNR)@GNS composites-based SHCs a strong contender for electrochemical energy storage.

Conidia production and quality from mycoinsecticides in solid-state cultures (SSC) are frequently inferred from superficial culture (SC) results. Both parameters were evaluated for two Isaria fumosorosea strains (ARSEF 3302 and CNRCB1), in SC and SSC, using culture media with the same chemical composition. For both strains, conidia production was higher in SC than SSC in terms of conidia per gram of dry substrate. Germination in both strains did not show significant differences between SC and SSC (>90 %). Similarly, conidia viability in ARSEF 3302 strain did not show differences at early stages between SC and SSC, but was higher in SC compared to SSC in the late stage of culture; in contrast, conidia from CNRCB1 strain did not differ between both culture systems. Some infectivity parameters improved in conidia from SSC, compared to SC at the early stages, but these differences disappeared at the final stage, independently of the strain. Both strains showed decreased conidia production when 26 % O2 pulses were applied; nevertheless, conidiation in SSC was two orders of magnitude more sensitive to oxidant pulses. In SC with 26 % O2 pulses, conidia viability for both strains at early stages, was higher than in normal atmospheric conditions. Infectivity towards Galleria mellonella larvae was similar between conidia from normal atmosphere and oxidant conditions; notably, for the strain ARSEF 3302 infectivity decreased at the final stage. This study shows the intrinsic differences between SC and SSC, which should be considered when using SC as a model to design production processes in SSC. PMID:27263006

A potentiometric oxygen sensor is formed having a logarithmic response to a differential oxygen concentration while operating as a Nernstian-type sensor. Very thin films of mixed conducting oxide materials form electrode services while permitting diffusional oxygen access to the interface between the zirconia electrolyte and the electrode. Diffusion of oxygen through the mixed oxide is not rate-limiting. Metal electrodes are not used so that morphological changes in the electrode structure do not occur during extended operation at elevated temperatures.

A bulk-type all-solid-state lithium ion battery based on Ta-doped Li6.75La3Zr1.75Ta0.25O12 (LLZ-Ta) is prepared by a simple solidstate process with high capacity of 279.0 μAh cm-2 at 80 °C. However, severe polarization is discovered during charging/discharging cycles at room temperature (RT) for battery with a higher active cathode loading. Large interfacial resistance due to the poor contact at the interfaces between cathode and LLZ-Ta solid electrolyte and at the interfaces within the composite cathode layer is proven to be the main reason for the poor electrochemical performance of the battery at RT. The polarization could be suppressed at elevated temperature, which is attributed to the decreased interfacial resistance as indicated by the results of impedance measurements and gives rise to much enhanced performance of the all-solid-state battery.

Surface modification to improve the corrosion resistance and biocompatibility of the Mg-Al-Zn-Ca alloy was conducted via plasma electrolyticoxidation (PEO) in an electrolyte that included phosphate. Calcium phosphate can be easily induced on the surface of a PEO coating that includes phosphate in a physiological environment because Ca(2+) ions in body fluids can be combined with PO4 (3-). Cytotoxicity of the PEO coating formed in electrolytes with various amounts of Na3PO4 was identified. In particular, the effects that PEO films have upon oxidative stress and differentiation of osteoblast activity were studied. As the concentration of Na3PO4 in the electrolyte increased, the oxide layer was found to become thicker, which increased corrosion resistance. However, the PEO coating formed in electrolytes with over 0.2 M of added Na3PO4 exhibited more microcracks and larger pores than those formed in smaller Na3PO4 concentrations owing to a large spark discharge. A nonuniform oxide film that included more phosphate caused more cytotoxicity and oxidative stress, and overabundant phosphate content in the oxide layer interrupted the differentiation of osteoblasts. The corrosion resistance of the magnesium alloy and the thickness of the oxide layer were increased by the addition of Na3PO4 in the electrolyte for PEO treatment. However, excessive phosphate content in the oxide layer led to oxidative stress, which resulted in reduced cell viability and activity. PMID:26829967

A new solid-state electrochromic system is presented. It is transparent and is comprised of a tungsten oxide and Prussian blue (PB) thin film couple in combination with a proton-conducting, solid polymer electrolyte. This electrochromic system exhibits rapid and deep optical switching; characteristics of a complementary configuration, both electrochromic films color and bleach in phase. Complementary electrochromic cells with the tungsten oxide-PB couple have previously been based on Li[sup +] or K[sup +]-conducting electrolytes. A repetitively cycling cell has not previously been reported with a proton-conducting solid polymer electrolyte. The devices were operated at low applied voltages, +1.2 V to darken and [minus]0.6 V to bleach. Repeated reduction and oxidation of the current system over 20,000 cycles has been demonstrated, indicating a large number of switchings without great degradation or irreversible side reactions. The sustained, high overall coloration efficiency of the devices suggests the insertion/extraction of protons into and out of both WO[sub 3] and PB films. The effects of cell size and operating temperature on the switching response are discussed.

Carbon-based electrochemical double-layer capacitors and pseudocapacitors, consisting of a symmetric configuration of electrodes, can deliver much higher power densities than batteries, but they suffer from low energy densities. Herein, we report the development of high energy and power density supercapacitors using an asymmetric configuration of Fe2O3 and MnO2 nanoparticles incorporated into 3D macroporous graphene film electrodes that can be operated in a safe and low-cost aqueous electrolyte. The gap in working potential windows of Fe2O3 and MnO2 enables the stable expansion of the cell voltage up to 1.8 V, which is responsible for the high energy density (41.7 Wh kg(-1)). We employ a household microwave oven to simultaneously create conductivity, porosity, and the deposition of metal oxides on graphene films toward 3D hybrid architectures, which lead to a high power density (13.5 kW kg(-1)). Such high energy and power densities are maintained for over 5000 cycles, even during cycling at a high current density of 16.9 A g(-1). PMID:26387450

A potentiometric oxygen sensor is formed having a logarithmic response to a differential oxygen concentration while operating as a Nernstian-type sensor. Very thin films of mixed conducting oxide materials form electrode services while permitting diffusional oxygen access to the interface between the zirconia electrolyte and the electrode. Diffusion of oxygen through the mixed oxide is not rate-limiting. Metal electrodes are not used so that morphological changes in the electrode structure do not occur during extended operation at elevated temperatures. 6 figs.

Theoretical analysis of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) using two-layer, composite electrolytes consisting of a solid electrolyte of a significantly higher conductivity compared to zirconia (such as ceria or bismuth oxide) with a thin layer of zirconia or thoria on the fuel side is presented. Electrochemical transport in the two-layer composite electrolytes is examined by taking both ionic and electronic fluxes into account. Similar to most electrochemical transport phenomena, it is assumed that local equilibrium prevails. An equivalent circuit approach is used to estimate the partial pressure of oxygen at the interface. It is shown that thermodynamic stability of the electrolyte (ceria or bismuth oxide) depends upon the transport characteristics of the composite electrolyte, in particular the electronic conductivity of the air-side part of the electrolyte. The analysis shows that it would be advantageous to use composite electrolytes instead of all-zirconia electrolytes, thus making low-temperature (about 600-800 C) SOFCs feasible. Implications of the analysis from the standpoint of the desired characteristics of SOFC components are discussed.

Nano metal oxides are becoming widely used in industrial, commercial and personal products (semiconductors, optics, solar cells, catalysts, paints, cosmetics, sun-cream lotions, etc.). However, the relationship of surface features (exposed planes, defects and chemical functionalities) with physiochemical properties is not well studied primarily due to lack of a simple technique for their characterization. In this study, solidstate (31)P MAS NMR is used to map surfaces on various ZnO samples with the assistance of trimethylphosphine (TMP) as a chemical probe. As similar to XRD giving structural information on a crystal, it is demonstrated that this new surface-fingerprint technique not only provides qualitative (chemical shift) but also quantitative (peak intensity) information on the concentration and distribution of cations and anions, oxygen vacancies and hydroxyl groups on various facets from a single deconvoluted (31)P NMR spectrum. On the basis of this technique, a new mechanism for photocatalytic •OH radical generation from direct surface-OH oxidation is revealed, which has important implications regarding the safety of using nano oxides in personal care products. PMID:26812527

While solid-state NMR spectroscopic techniques have helped clarify the local structure and dynamics of ionic conductors, similar studies of mixed ionic-electronic conductors (MIECs) have been hampered by the paramagnetic behavior of these systems. Here we report high-resolution (17)O (I = 5/2) solid-state NMR spectra of the mixed-conducting solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) cathode material La2NiO4+δ, a paramagnetic transition-metal oxide. Three distinct oxygen environments (equatorial, axial, and interstitial) can be assigned on the basis of hyperfine (Fermi contact) shifts and quadrupolar nutation behavior, aided by results from periodic DFT calculations. Distinct structural distortions among the axial sites, arising from the nonstoichiometric incorporation of interstitial oxygen, can be resolved by advanced magic angle turning and phase-adjusted sideband separation (MATPASS) NMR experiments. Finally, variable-temperature spectra reveal the onset of rapid interstitial oxide motion and exchange with axial sites at ∼130 °C, associated with the reported orthorhombic-to-tetragonal phase transition of La2NiO4+δ. From the variable-temperature spectra, we develop a model of oxide-ion dynamics on the spectral time scale that accounts for motional differences of all distinct oxygen sites. Though we treat La2NiO4+δ as a model system for a combined paramagnetic (17)O NMR and DFT methodology, the approach presented herein should prove applicable to MIECs and other functionally important paramagnetic oxides. PMID:27538437

SrTiO3 (STO)-based all-solid-state electric-double-layer transistors (EDLTs) with a Li4SiO4 (LSO) lithium ion conductor (i.e., electrolyte) or Y-stabilized-ZrO2 (YSZ) proton conductor were fabricated. While the LSO device showed significant drain current enhancement at room temperature, the YSZ device needed high temperature to achieve comparable drain current enhancement due to the difference in ionic conductivity between the two electrolytes. Subthreshold swing (S), which is a parameter used to evaluate the steepness of drain current enhancement in field-effect transistors (FETs), was calculated to be 66 and 227 mV/dec, respectively, for LSO and YSZ EDLTs. The 66 mV/dec is very close to the theoretical limit (60 mV/dec) for conventional FETs, indicating that LSO is more suitable for STO-based EDLTs and that the type of solid electrolyte used greatly affects EDLT switching characteristics.

This work describes the specific O2/CO2 sensing mechanisms of a solid-state, thick-film, electrocatalytic cermet (ceramic/metallic) gas sensor based on a tungsten stabilized bismuth oxide (WBO) solid electrolyte. The sensors embody the same configuration of classical planar oxygen sensors with two catalytic electrodes sandwiching an oxygen ion conducting solid electrolyte and a buried metal oxide reference. The technique of cyclic voltammetry is used where a cyclic voltage is ramped across the electrodes to promote electrochemical reactions on the surface of the sensor. These reactions alter the ionic current flow through the solid electrolyte, generating voltage-current related responses (voltammograms) which are gas specific. The WBO sensors have the identical configuration of previously investigated sensors of this type based on a yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) solid electrolyte which show good response to O 2 but do not respond to CO2 to any degree. This dissertation examines the specific function of each solid electrolyte layer and relates them to both the WBO sensors ability to respond uniquely to CO2 and the YSZ sensors incapability to respond to CO2. The research suggests that the tungsten component of the WBO electrolyte along with the porosity of the WBO layer together are responsible for the unique CO 2 response of this sensor.

A composite positive electrode in an all-solid-state battery is prepared by mixing LiCoO2 particles and Li2S-P2S5 solid electrolytes. Raman spectroscopy is conducted for the composite positive electrodes before and after the initial charging process. Raman spectral changes are observed, which corresponds to structural changes of LiCoO2 particles during the charge test. However, some spectra indicate that several LiCoO2 particles show no structural changes although the cell is fully charged. A local state-of-charge (SOC) distribution map of the composite electrode is obtained by Raman mapping. The mapping image after the charge test shows that distributions of reactions exist in the composite positive electrode.

This report contains brief discussions on work done in the SolidState Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The topics covered are: Theoretical SolidState Physics; Neutron scattering; Physical properties of materials; The synthesis and characterization of materials; Ion beam and laser processing; and Structure of solids and surfaces. (LSP)

Two prototype solid-state phased array systems concepts developed for the solar power satellite (SPS) are described. In both concepts, the beam was centered on the rectenna by means of phase conjugation of a pilot signal emanating from the ground. Also discussed are results of solidstate studies.

We report high-performance, durable alkaline membrane water electrolysis in a solid-state cell. An anion exchange membrane (AEM) and catalyst layer ionomer for hydroxide ion conduction were used without the addition of liquid electrolyte. At 50 degrees C, an AEM electrolysis cell using iridium oxide as the anode catalyst and Pt black as the cathode catalyst exhibited a current density of 399 mA/cm(2) at 1.80 V. We found that the durability of the AEM-based electrolysis cell could be improved by incorporating a highly durable ionomer in the catalyst layer and optimizing the water feed configuration. We demonstrated an AEM-based electrolysis cell with a lifetime of > 535 h. These first-time results of water electrolysis in a solid-state membrane cell are promising for low-cost, scalable hydrogen production.

We present the structural (XRD and Raman) and electrochemical properties of various oxides of the cobaltate family (with the α-NaFeO 2-type structure) grown by solid-state reaction, wet chemistry and film deposition techniques. It is shown that synthesis greatly affects the electrochemistry and cycle life characteristics of these layer structured cathode materials. HT-LiCoO 2, LT-LiCoO 2, doped LiCo 1- yAl yO 2 and LiCoO 2 films are investigated.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has been an important analytical and physical research tool for several decades. One area of NMR which has undergone considerable development in recent years is high resolution NMR of solids. In particular, high resolution solidstate /sup 13/C NMR spectra exhibiting features similar to those observed in liquids are currently achievable using sophisticated pulse techniques. The work described in this thesis develops analogous methods for high resolution /sup 1/H NMR of rigid solids. Applications include characterization of hydrogen aromaticities in fossil fuels, and studies of hydrogen in oxides and bound water in muscle.

Because of its low thermal conductivity, high thermal expansion and high oxygen ion conductivity yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) is the material of choice for high temperature electrolyte applications. Current coating fabrication methods have their drawbacks, however. Air plasma spray (APS) is a relatively low-cost process and is suitable for large and relatively complex shapes. it is difficult to produce uniform, relatively thin coatings with this process, however, and the coatings do not exhibit the columnar microstructure that is needed for reliable, long-term performance. The electron-beam physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD) process does produce the desirable microstructure, however, the capital cost of these systems is very high and the line-of-sight nature of the process limits coating uniformity and the ability to coat large and complex shapes. The chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process also produces the desirable columnar microstructure and--under proper conditions--can produce uniform coatings over complex shapes. CVD has been used for many materials but is relatively undeveloped for oxides, in general, and for zirconia, in particular. The overall goal of this project--a joint effort of the University of Louisville and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)--is to develop the YSZ CVD process for high temperature electrolyte applications. This report describes the modeling effort at the University of Louisville, which supports the experimental work at ORNL. Early work on CVD of zirconia and yttria used metal chlorides, which react with water vapor to form solid oxide. Because of this rapid gas-phase reaction the water generally is formed in-situ using the reverse water-gas-shift reaction or a microwave plasma. Even with these arrangements gas-phase nucleation and powder formation are problems when using these precursors. Recent efforts on CVD of zirconia and YSZ have focused on use of metal-organic precursors (MOCVD). These are more stable in the gas

Photoelectrochromic smart window technology is extended to include the use of flexible substrates and solid-stateelectrolytes. This should facilitate their application as retrofit modifications of office windows, where, by blocking incoming solar irradiation, they could substantially lower air-conditioning costs. These devices are based on a dye-sensitized TiO{sub 2} electrode coupled with a 500 nm thick WO{sub 3} electrochromic counter electrode, separated by a cross-linked polymer electrolyte containing LiI. A novel method for preparing conducting nanoporous TiO{sub 2} films is described that allows for the construction of these devices on flexible organic substrates. Colloidal solutions of TiO{sub 2} free of surfactants were spin-coated onto indium-tin oxide coated polyester substrates, resulting in highly transparent films ranging from 100 nm to 1 {micro}m in thickness. Upon annealing at 100 C, these films were strongly adherent and displayed excellent photoconductivity as shown by their current-voltage characteristics. The devices typically transmit 75% of visible light in the bleached state. After a few minutes of exposure to white light (75 mW/cm{sup 2}), the windows turn dark blue, transmitting only 30% of visible light. They spontaneously bleach back to their initial noncolored state upon removal of the light source.

Diffusion of two monomers and their oxidative copolymerization inside a solid-state gel electrolyte is utilized as a method to match the monomer feed ratio to a color resulting from a conjugated copolymer having a single absorption in the visible region. Here, a combination of two monomers is used to generate a solid-state electrochromic device of any color, except black and green, in the colored state with all other colors going to transmissive sky blue in the bleached state. PMID:24038503

A water free, proton conducting membrane for use in a fuel cell is fabricated as a highly conducting sheet of converted solidstate organic amine salt, such as converted acid salt of triethylenediamine with two quaternized tertiary nitrogen atoms, combined with a nanoparticulate oxide and a stable binder combined with the converted solidstate organic amine salt to form a polymeric electrolyte membrane. In one embodiment the membrane is derived from triethylenediamine sulfate, hydrogen phosphate or trifiate, an oxoanion with at least one ionizable hydrogen, organic tertiary amine bisulfate, polymeric quaternized amine bisulfate or phosphate, or polymeric organic compounds with quaternizable nitrogen combined with Nafion to form an intimate network with ionic interactions.

Solid-state membrane modules comprising at least one membrane unit, where the membrane unit has a dense mixed conducting oxide layer, and at least one conduit or manifold wherein the conduit or manifold comprises a dense layer and at least one of a porous layer and a slotted layer contiguous with the dense layer. The solid-state membrane modules may be used to carry out a variety of processes including the separating of any ionizable component from a feedstream wherein such ionizable component is capable of being transported through a dense mixed conducting oxide layer of the membrane units making up the membrane modules. For ease of construction, the membrane units may be planar.

Understanding of the fundamental mechanisms causing significant enhancement of Li-ionic conductivity by Al3+ doping to a solid LiGe2(PO4)3 (LGP) electrolyte is pursued using first principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations combined with experimental measurements. Our results indicate that partial substitution Al3+ for Ge4+ in LiGe2(PO4)3 (LGP) with aliovalent (Li1+xAlxGe2-x(PO4)3, LAGP) improves the Li-ionic conductivity about four-orders of the magnitude. To unveil the atomic origin we calculate plausible diffusion paths of Li in LGP and LAGP materials using DFT calculations and a nudged elastic band method, and discover that LAGP had additional transport paths for Li with activation barriers as low as only 34% of the LGP. Notably, these new atomic channels manifest subtle electrostatic environments facilitating cooperative motions of at least two Li atoms. Ab-initio molecular dynamics predict Li-ionic conductivity for the LAGP system, which is amazingly agreed experimental measurement on in-house made samples. Consequently, we suggest that the excess amounts of Li caused by the aliovalent Al3+ doping to LGP lead to not only enhancing Li concentration but also opening new conducting paths with substantially decreases activation energies and thus high ionic conductivity of LAGP solid-stateelectrolyte.

A module for separating oxygen from an oxygen-containing gaseous mixture comprising planar solid-state membrane units, each membrane unit comprising planar dense mixed conducting oxides layers, planar channel-free porous support layers, and one or more planar intermediate support layers comprising at least one channeled porous support layer. The porosity of the planar channeled porous support layers is less than the porosity of the planar channel-free porous support layers.

A solidstate switch, with reverse conducting thyristors, is designed to operate at 20 kV hold-off voltage, 1500 A peak, 1.0 .mu.s pulsewidth, and 4500 pps, to replace thyratrons. The solidstate switch is more reliable, more economical, and more easily repaired. The switch includes a stack of circuit card assemblies, a magnetic assist and a trigger chassis. Each circuit card assembly contains a reverse conducting thyristor, a resistor capacitor network, and triggering circuitry.

Combinations of methyl formate (MF) and propylene carbonate (PC) using salt concentrations of 0.6 to 2.4 M, with lithium hexafluoroarsenate and lithium tetrafluoroborate in a five to one molar ratio, were investigated as electrolytes in lithium/silver vanadium oxide batteries. The composition of the electrolyte affected cell performance at low temperature, self-discharge and abuse resistance as characterized by short circuit and crush testing. The electrolyte that provided the best combination of good low temperature performance, low cell self-discharge and abuse resistance was 0.6 M salt in 10:90 PC/MF.

Quantitative and advanced 13C solid-state NMR techniques were employed to investigate (i) the chemical structure of a high volatile bituminous coal, as well as (ii) chemical structural changes of this coal after evacuation of adsorbed gases, (iii) during oxidative air exposure at room temperature, and (iv) after oxidative heating in air at 75 ??C. The solid-state NMR techniques employed in this study included quantitative direct polarization/magic angle spinning (DP/MAS) at a high spinning speed of 14 kHz, cross polarization/total sideband suppression (CP/TOSS), dipolar dephasing, CH, CH2, and CHn selection, 13C chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) filtering, two-dimensional (2D) 1H-13C heteronuclear correlation NMR (HETCOR), and 2D HETCOR with 1H spin diffusion. With spectral editing techniques, we identified methyl CCH 3, rigid and mobile methylene CCH2C, methine CCH, quaternary Cq, aromatic CH, aromatic carbons bonded to alkyls, small-sized condensed aromatic moieties, and aromatic C-O groups. With direct polarization combined with spectral-editing techniques, we quantified 11 different types of functional groups. 1H-13C 2D HETCOR NMR experiments indicated spatial proximity of aromatic and alkyl moieties in cross-linked structures. The proton spin diffusion experiments indicated that the magnetization was not equilibrated at a 1H spin diffusion time of 5 ms. Therefore, the heterogeneity in spatial distribution of different functional groups should be above 2 nm. Recoupled C-H long-range dipolar dephasing showed that the fraction of large charcoal-like clusters of polycondensed aromatic rings was relatively small. The exposure of this coal to atmospheric oxygen at room temperature for 6 months did not result in obvious chemical structural changes of the coal, whereas heating at 75 ??C in air for 10 days led to oxidation of coal and generated some COO groups. Evacuation removed most volatiles and caused a significant reduction in aliphatic signals in its DP

A completely solidstate high temperature storage cell comprised of a solid rechargeable cathode such as TiS.sub.2, a solid electrolyte which remains solid at the high temperature operating conditions of the cell and which exhibits high ionic conductivity at such elevated temperatures such as an electrolyte comprised of lithium iodide, and a solid lithium or other alkali metal alloy anode (such as a lithium-silicon alloy) with 5-50% by weight of said anode being comprised of said solid electrolyte.

Ternary composite electrodes based on carbon nanotubes thin films (CNFs)-loaded graphene oxide (GO) supported poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)- carbon nanotubes (GO/PEDOT-CNTs) have been prepared via a facile one-step electrochemical codeposition method. The effect of long and short CNTs-incorporated composites (GO/PEDOT-lCNTs and GO/PEDOT-sCNTs) on the electrochemical behaviors of the electrodes is investigated and compared. Electrochemical measurements indicate that the incorporation of CNTs effectively improves the electrochemical performances of the GO/PEDOT electrodes. Long CNTs-incorporated GO/PEDOT-lCNTs electrodes have more superior electrochemical behaviors with respect to the short CNTs-incorporated GO/PEDOT-lCNTs electrodes, which can be attributed to the optimized composition and specific microstructures of the former. To verify the feasibility of the prepared composite electrodes for utilization as flexible supercapacitor, a solid-state supercapacitor using the CNFs-loaded GO/PEDOT-lCNTs electrodes is fabricated and tested. The device shows lightweight, ultrathin, and highly flexible features, which also has a high areal and volumetric specific capacitance (33.4 m F cm-2 at 10 mV s-1 and 2.7 F cm-3 at 0.042 A cm-3), superior rate capability, and excellent cycle stability (maintaining 97.5% for 5000 cycles). This highly flexible solid-state supercapacitor has great potential for applications in flexible electronics, roll-up display, and wearable devices.

The synthesized title labeled polymer, Fc-MePEG, MW = 2,590, analytically characterized as free of unlabeled PEO and of ferrocene monomer, dissolves LiClO{sub 4} electrolyte and in dry undiluted form is both a polymer electrolyte and an electroactive phase. The microelectrode solid-state voltammetrically measured, center-of-mass self-diffusion coefficient for Fc-MePEG in its polymer let, 1.3 {times} 10{sup {minus}8} cm{sup 2}/s at 62{degree}C, is 3.4 times smaller than that for ferrocene monomer dissolved in unlabeled (MW = 2,380) Me{sub 2}PEG. Electron hopping is estimated to contribute less than 10% to the diffusion rates of Fc-MePEG and of monomer dissolved at 40-50 mM concentrations in unlabeled Me{sub 2}PEG. At room temperature, where Fc-MePEG and Me{sub 2}PEG are waxy solids, D{sub Fc-MePEG} is 3.9 {times} 10{sup {minus}12} cm{sup 2}/s, 12 times smaller than that of monomer ferrocene, in Me{sub 2}PEG, and which corresponds to a diffusion pathlength of ca. 110-200 nm during the electrochemical experiment. Dissolved in CH{sub 3}CN or CH{sub 2}Cl{sub 2}, Fe-MePEG diffuses 8-10 times more slowly than ferrocene monomer which is consistent with transport as a random coiled sphere.

Porous nanofibric network of spinel CoMn2O4 (CMO) are fabricated by facile electrospinning process and characterized by XRD, BET, TGA, FTIR, FESEM, TEM, XPS techniques. CMO nanofibers are employed as supercapacitor electrode for first time which exhibits high specific capacitance (Cs) of 320(±5) F g-1 and 270(±5) F g-1 at 1 A g-1 and 5 A g-1, respectively in 1 M H2SO4. CMO nanofibers exhibit excellent cyclability (till 10,000 cycles @ 5 A g-1). To examine practical performance, solid-state symmetric supercapacitor (SSSC) is also fabricated using PVA-H2SO4 as gel electrolyte. The SSSC evinces high energy density of 75 W h kg-1 (comparable to Pb-acid and Ni-MH battery) along with high power density of 2 kW kg-1. Furthermore, a red colored LED (1.8 V @ current 20 mA) was lit for 5 min using single SSSC device supporting its output voltage of 2 V. This high performance of CMO in both aqueous and SSSC is attributed to one dimensional nanofibers consisting of voids/gaps with minimum inter-particle resistance that facilitates smoother transportation of electrons/ions. These voids/gaps in CMO (structural as well as morphological) act as intercalation/de-intercalation sites for extra storage performance, and also works as buffering space to accommodate stress/strain produced while long term cyclings.

Wet electrolyticoxidation (WEO) is electrochemical oxidation conducted at subcritical water temperature and pressure. Under these conditions, the electrolytic reaction of water is very different from the reaction usually seen in water electrolysis. Electrolysis of an aqueous NaCl solution at 250°C proceeds without the evolution of any oxygen, chlorine or even hydrogen. Rapid oxidation of organics to CO2 occurs in WEO with the production of hydrogen. Further addition of an oxidizer enhances the electrochemical oxidation of organics with the suppression of hydrogen evolution. AOX compounds found in usual electrooxidation are not formed in WEO treatment. When WEO is applied to sludge treatment, colors are drastically reduced and there is an increase in the yield of organic acids. The biodegradability increases by up to 50% and the treated water shows higher methane yields during anaerobic fermentation.

A solidstate switch, with reverse conducting thyristors, is designed to operate at 20 kV hold-off voltage, 1,500 A peak, 1.0 [mu]s pulsewidth, and 4,500 pps, to replace thyratrons. The solidstate switch is more reliable, more economical, and more easily repaired. The switch includes a stack of circuit card assemblies, a magnetic assist and a trigger chassis. Each circuit card assembly contains a reverse conducting thyristor, a resistor capacitor network, and triggering circuitry. 6 figs.

One of challenges existing in fiber-based supercapacitors is how to achieve high energy density without compromising their rate stability. Owing to their unique physical, electronic, and electrochemical properties, two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials, e.g., molybdenum disulfide (MoS2 ) and graphene, have attracted increasing research interest and been utilized as electrode materials in energy-related applications. Herein, by incorporating MoS2 and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets into a well-aligned multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) sheet followed by twisting, MoS2 -rGO/MWCNT and rGO/MWCNT fibers are fabricated, which can be used as the anode and cathode, respectively, for solid-state, flexible, asymmetric supercapacitors. This fiber-based asymmetric supercapacitor can operate in a wide potential window of 1.4 V with high Coulombic efficiency, good rate and cycling stability, and improved energy density. PMID:25694387

LaCrO{sub 3} is a p-type semiconductor, and it is stable in both oxidizing and reducing atmospheres at elevated temperatures. LaCrO{sub 3} doped with Ca or Sr exhibits high electrical conductivity. Due to these properties, alkaline earth-doped LaCrO{sub 3} is used as an interconnector for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), which are attractive because of their high energy conversion efficiency and clean exhaust gas. Since the interconnector is used at elevated temperatures with a large difference of oxygen pressure between anode and cathode, it is extremely important to clarify its transport properties to understand demixing and creep. In several oxides with the perovskite structure, oxide ion diffusivity has been reported. On the other hand, cation diffusivity, which probably governs the demixing and creep processes, has been scarcely reported. The parabolic rate constant for the solid-state reaction of 1/2La{sub 2}O{sub 3} + 1/2Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3} = LaCrO{sub 3} was measured at temperatures between 1,483 and 1,688 /K in air and at 1695 K in oxygen pressures between 2.1 {times} 10{sup 4} and 1.5 {times} 10{sup {minus}5} Pa.

Self-assembly of ultrathin Au, W, and Au-W bilayer thin films is investigated using a rapid thermal annealing technique in an inert ambient. The solid-state dewetting of Au films is briefly revisited in order to emphasize the role of initial film thickness. W films deposited onto SiO2 evolve into needle-like nanocrystals rather than forming particle-like agglomerates upon annealing at elevated temperatures. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that such nanocrystals actually consist of tungsten (VI) oxide (WO3) which is related to an anisotropic oxide crystal growth out of the thin film. The evolution of W films is highly sensitive to the presence of any residual oxygen. Combination of both the dewetting of Au and the oxide crystal growth of WO3 is realized by using various bilayer film configurations of the immiscible Au and W. At low temperature, Au dewetting is initiated while oxide crystal growth is still suppressed. Depending on the stacking sequence of the Au-W bilayer thin film, W acts either as a substrate or as a passivation layer for the dewetting of Au. Being the ground layer, W changes the wettability of Au which clearly modifies its initial state for the dewetting. Being the top layer, W prevents Au from dewetting regardless of Au film thickness. Moreover, regular pattern formation of Au-WO3 nanoparticles is observed at high temperature demonstrating how bilayer thin film dewetting can create unique nanostructure arrangements.

Al2O3 coatings were prepared on T6-tempered Al6061 alloys substrate under a hybrid voltage (AC 200 V-60 Hz and DC 260 V value) by plasma electrolyticoxidation (PEO) in 30 min. The effects of different electrolytes on the abrasive behaviors of the coatings were studied by conducting dry ball-on-disk wear tests. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to investigate the coating microstructure. XRD analysis results show that the coatings mainly consist of α- and γ-Al2O3, and some mullite and AlPO4 phase in Na2SiO3 and Na3PO4 containing electrolytes, respectively. The wear test results show that the coatings which were PEO-treated in Na3PO4 containing electrolyte presented the most excellent abrasive resistance property.

The purpose of this Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) between Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Planar Energy Devices, Inc. was to develop large-scale electroless deposition and photonic annealing processes associated with making all-solid-state lithium ion battery cathode and electrolyte layers. However, technical and processing difficulties encountered in 2011 resulted in the focus of the CRADA being redirected solely to annealing of the cathode thin films. In addition, Planar Energy Devices de-emphasized the importance of annealing of the solid-stateelectrolytes within the scope of the project, but materials characterization of stabilized electrolyte layers was still of interest. All-solid-state lithium ion batteries are important to automotive and stationary energy storage applications because they would eliminate the problems associated with the safety of the liquid electrolyte in conventional lithium ion batteries. However, all-solid-state batteries are currently produced using expensive, energy consuming vacuum methods suited for small electrode sizes. Transition metal oxide cathode and solid-stateelectrolyte layers currently require about 30-60 minutes at 700-800°C vacuum processing conditions. Photonic annealing requires only milliseconds of exposure time at high temperature and a total of <1 min of cumulative processing time. As a result, these processing techniques are revolutionary and highly disruptive to the existing lithium ion battery supply chain. The current methods of producing all-solid-state lithium ion batteries are only suited for small-scale, low-power cells and involve high-temperature vacuum techniques. Stabilized LiNixMnyCozAl1-x-y-zO2 (NMCA) nanoparticle films were deposited onto stainless steel substrates using Planar Energy Devices’ streaming process for electroless electrochemical deposition (SPEED). Since successful SPEED trials were demonstrated by Planar Energy Devices with NMCA prior to 2010, this

This self-study course is designed to familiarize Marine Corps enlisted personnel with the principles of solid-state devices and their functions. The course contains four study units. Each study unit begins with a general objective, which is a statement of what the student should learn from the unit. The study units are divided into numbered work…

The article discusses solidstate lighting technologies. This topic was covered in two previous ASHRAE Journal columns (2010). This article covers advancements in technologies and the associated efficacies. The life-cycle, energy savings and market potential of these technologies are addressed as well.

The formation of disulfide bonds is of the utmost importance for a wide range of food products with gluten or globular proteins as functional agents. Here, the impact of mineral electrolyte composition of aqueous solutions on thiol oxidation kinetics was studied, using glutathione (GSH) and cysteine (CYS) as model systems. Interestingly, the oxidation rate of both compounds into their corresponding disulfides was significantly higher in common tap water than in ultrapure water. The systematic study of different electrolyte components showed that especially CaCl2 improved the oxidation rate of GSH. However, this effect was not observed for CYS, which indicated a strong impact of the local chemical environment on thiol oxidation kinetics. PMID:26675862

Epitaxial thin films of Al-doped Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) with a cubic garnet-type structure were successfully synthesized using pulsed laser deposition to investigate the lithium ion conduction in grains. Two orientations of the films were obtained depending on the Gd3Ga5O12 (GGG) substrate orientation, LLZO(001)/GGG(001) and LLZO(111)/GGG(111). The ionic conductivities in the grains of the (001) and (111) films were 2.5 × 10(-6) and 1.0 × 10(-5) S cm(-1) at 298 K, respectively, which were lower than those of polycrystalline LLZO of over 10(-4) S cm(-1). X-ray reflectometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry revealed a large amount of Al(3+) of over 0.6 moles substituted for Li(+). These results indicate that the Al(3+) substitution in the LLZO lattice decreases the number of movable lithium ions and blocks the three-dimensional lithium migration pathway. The lattice mismatch between the film and the substrate induced the lattice distortion of the LLZO, resulting in different conductivities between the (001) and (111) films. The epitaxial-film model system directly clarified a substantial impact of the Al substitution and the lattice distortion on the lithium ion conductivity in the LLZO. PMID:23877300

Poly(terthiophene benzoic acid) (pTBA) layered-AuZn alloy oxide (AuZnOx) deposited on the screen printed carbon electrode (pTBA/AuZnOx/SPCE) was prepared to create a disposable all-solid-state pH sensor at first. Further, FAD-glucose oxidase (GOx) was immobilized onto the pTBA/AuZnOx/SPCE to fabricate a glucose sensor. The characterizations of the sensor probe reveal that AuZnOx forms a homogeneous hierarchical structure, and that the polymerized pTBA layer on the alloy oxide surface captures GOx covalently. The benzoic acid group of pTBA coated on the probe layer synergetically improved the pH response of the alloy oxide and provide chemical binding sites to enzyme, which resulted in a Nernstian behavior (59.2 ± 0.5 mV/pH) in the pH range of 2-13. The experimental parameters affecting the glucose analysis were studied in terms of pH, temperature, humidity, and interferences. The sensor exhibited a fast response time <1s and a dynamic range between 30 and 500 mg/dL glucose with a detection limit of 17.23 ± 0.32 mg/dL. The reliabilities of the disposable pH and glucose sensors were examined for biological samples. PMID:26703994

The interfacial reaction between thermally oxidized In1-xGaxAsyP1-y and an In1-xGaxAsyP1-y epilayer was studied using Raman and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses. In Raman spectra, it was found that the appearance of the phonon modes, i.e., the first-order longitudinal (LO) and transverse-optical (TO) modes for crystalline arsenic, was due to the In1-xGaxAsyP1-y -oxide interfacial reaction. The XPS analyses showed that this reaction corresponded to the GaAs-oxide interfacial reaction, i.e., As2O3+2GaAs→Ga2O3+4As. Furthermore, the reaction depends on the composition y of In1-xGaxAsyP1-y, which may be due to the enhancement in the initial transient reaction by thermal damage of In1-xGaxAsyP1-y occurring at the interface.

The Titan-CW Ti:sapphire (titanium-doped sapphire) tunable laser is an innovation in solid-state laser technology jointly developed by the Research and SolidState Laser Divisions of Schwartz Electro-optics, Inc. (SEO). SEO is producing the laser for the commercial market, an outgrowth of a program sponsored by Langley Research Center to develop Ti:sapphire technology for space use. SEO's Titan-CW series of Ti:sapphire tunable lasers have applicability in analytical equipment designed for qualitative analysis of carbohydrates and proteins, structural analysis of water, starch/sugar analyses, and measurements of salt in meat. Further applications are expected in semiconductor manufacture, in medicine for diagnosis and therapy, and in biochemistry.

The acidic sites in dispersed tungsten oxide supported on SBA-15 mesoporous silica were investigated using a combination of pyridine titration, both fast-, and slow-MAS {sup 15}N NMR, static {sup 2}H NMR, and quantum chemistry calculations. It is found that the bridged acidic -OH groups in surface adsorbed tungsten dimers (i.e., W-OH-W) are the Broensted acid sites. The unusually strong acidity of these Broensted acid sites is confirmed by quantum chemistry calculations. In contrast, terminal W-OH sites are very stable and only weakly acidic as are terminal Si-OH sites. Furthermore, molecular interactions between pyridine molecules and the dimer Broensted and terminal W-OH sites for dispersed tungsten oxide species is strong. This results in restricted molecular motion for the interacting pyridine molecules even at room temperature, i.e., a reorientation mainly about the molecular 2-fold axis. This restricted reorientation makes it possible to estimate the relative ratio of the Broensted (tungsten dimer) to the weakly acidic terminal W-OH sites in the catalyst using the slow-MAS {sup 1}H-{sup 15}N CP PASS method.

This report covers in detail the research work of the SolidState Division at Lincoln Laboratory for the period 1 May - 31 July 1996. The topics covered are Electrooptical Devices, Quantum Electronics, Materials Research, Submicrometer Technology, High Speed Electronics, Microelectronics, and Analog Device Technology. Funding is provided primarily by the Air Force, with additional Support provided by the Army, DARPA, Navy, BMDO, NASA, and NIST.

This report covers in detail the research work of the SolidState Division at Lincoln Laboratory for the period 1 May-31 July 1995. The topics covered are: Electrooptical Devices, Quantum Electronics, Materials Research, Submicrometer Technology, High Speed Electronics, Microelectronics, and analog device technology. Funding is provided primarily by the Air Force, with additional Support provided by the Army, ARPA, Navy, BMDO, NASA and NIST.

This report covers in detail the research work of the SolidState Division at Lincoln Laboratory for the period 1 May through 31 July 1994. The topics covered are Electrooptical Devices, Quantum Electronics, Materials Research, Submicrometer Technology, High Speed Electronics, Microelectronics, and Analog Device Technology. Funding is provided primarily by the Air Force, with additional support provided by the Army, ARPA, Navy, BMDO, NASA, and NIST.

This report covers in detail the research work of the SolidState Division at Lincoln Laboratory for the period 1 August through 31 October 1994. The topics covered are Electrooptical Devices, Quantum Electronics, Materials Research, Submicrometer Technology, High Speed Electronics, Microelectronics, and Analog Device Technology. Funding is provided primarily by the Air Force, with additional support provided by the Army, ARPA, Navy, BMDO, NASA, and NIST.

This invention pertains to passivation-free solid-state rechargeable batteries composed of Li{sub 4}Ti{sub 5}O{sub 12} anode, a solid polymer electrolyte and a high voltage cathode. The solid polymer electrolyte comprises a polymer host, such as polyacrylonitrile, poly(vinyl chloride), poly(vinyl sulfone), and poly(vinylidene fluoride), plasticized by a solution of a Li salt in an organic solvent. The high voltage cathode includes LiMn{sub 2}O{sub 4}, LiCoO{sub 2}, LiNiO{sub 2} and LiV{sub 2}O{sub 5} and their derivatives. 5 figs.

This invention pertains to passivation-free solid-state rechargeable batteries composed of Li.sub.4 Ti.sub.5 O.sub.12 anode, a solid polymer electrolyte and a high voltage cathode. The solid polymer electrolyte comprises a polymer host, such as polyacrylonitrile, poly(vinyl chloride), poly(vinyl sulfone), and poly(vinylidene fluoride), plasticized by a solution of a Li salt in an organic solvent. The high voltage cathode includes LiMn.sub.2 O.sub.4, LiCoO.sub.2, LiNiO.sub.2 and LiV.sub.2 O.sub.5 and their derivatives.

The development of parametric devices down-converting the laser frequency to the mid-infrared (3-30 μm) based on non-oxide nonlinear optical crystals is reviewed. Such devices, pumped by solid-state laser systems operating in the near-infrared, fill in this spectral gap where no such lasers exist, on practically all time scales, from continuous-wave to femtosecond regime. All important results obtained so far with difference-frequency generation, optical parametric oscillation, generation and amplification are presented in a comparative manner, illustrating examples of recent achievements are given in more detail, and some special issues such as continuum and frequency comb generation or pulse shaping are also discussed. The vital element in any frequency-conversion process is the nonlinear optical crystal and this represents one of the major limitations for achieving high energies and average powers in the mid-infrared although the broad spectral tunability seems not to be a problem. Hence, an overview of the available non-oxide nonlinear optical materials, emphasizing new developments such as wide band-gap, engineered (mixed), and quasi-phase-matched crystals, is also included.

The thermodynamic properties of three different types of ternary oxides RFeO{sub 3}(s), R{sub 3}Fe{sub 5}O{sub 12}(s) and RFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}(s) (where R=Ho and Er) have been determined by calorimetric and solid-state galvanic cell methods. Heat capacities of RFeO{sub 3}(s) and R{sub 3}Fe{sub 5}O{sub 12}(s) have been determined by differential scanning calorimetry from 130 to 860K. Heat capacity measurements from 130 to 860K revealed {lambda}-type anomalies for RFeO{sub 3}(s) and R{sub 3}Fe{sub 5}O{sub 12}(s) compounds which are assigned due to magnetic order-disorder transitions. The oxygen chemical potentials corresponding to the three-phase equilibria involving these ternary oxides have been determined by using solid-state electrochemical cells. The standard molar Gibbs energies of formation of RFeO{sub 3}(s), R{sub 3}Fe{sub 5}O{sub 12}(s) and RFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}(s) have been computed from the oxygen potential data. Based on the thermodynamic information, oxygen potential diagrams have been computed for the systems R-Fe-O (R=Ho and Er) at two different temperatures: T=1250 and 1450K. Thermodynamic functions like C{sub p,m}{sup o}, S{sub m}{sup o}, H{sup o}, G{sup o}, (H{sub T}{sup o}-H{sub 0}{sup o}), (H{sub T}{sup o}-H{sub 298.15K}{sup o}), -(G{sub T}{sup o}-H{sub 298.15K}{sup o})/T, {delta}{sub f}H{sub m}{sup o}, and {delta}{sub f}G{sub m}{sup o} have been generated for the compounds RFeO{sub 3}(s) and R{sub 3}Fe{sub 5}O{sub 12}(s) based on the experimental data obtained in this study and the available data in the literature.

An improved solidstate thermal engine utilizes as a drive member a braided belt fabricated from a memory alloy such as nickel-titanium and nickel-titanium ternary alloys, copper-zinc and copper-zinc ternary alloys, and the like. The braided belt is mounted on a set of pulleys to provide passage through a hot zone where the belt contracts and develops tension, and through a cold zone where it relaxes and stretches. Since more energy is delivered by contraction than is required for relaxation, positive work output results with an efficiency of between onefifth and one-third of the carnot cycle.

The SolidState Device research program is directed toward developing innovative devices for space remote and in-situ sensing, and for data processing. Innovative devices can result from the standard structures in innovative materials such as low and high temperature superconductors, strained layer superlattices, or diamond films. Innovative devices can also result from innovative structures achieved using electron tunneling or nanolithography in standard materials. A final step is to use both innovative structures and innovative materials. A new area of emphasis is the miniaturization of sensors and instruments molded by using the techniques of electronic device fabrication to micromachine silicon into micromechanical and electromechanical sensors and actuators.

A solidstate optical microscope wherein wide-field and high-resolution images of an object are produced at a rapid rate by utilizing conventional optics with a charge-coupled photodiode array. A galvanometer scanning mirror, for scanning in one of two orthogonal directions is provided, while the charge-coupled photodiode array scans in the other orthogonal direction. Illumination light from the object is incident upon the photodiodes, creating packets of electrons (signals) which are representative of the illuminated object. The signals are then processed, stored in a memory, and finally displayed as a video signal.

A solidstate optical microscope wherein wide-field and high-resolution images of an object are produced at a rapid rate by utilizing conventional optics with a charge-coupled photodiode array. A galvanometer scanning mirror, for scanning in one of two orthogonal directions is provided, while the charge-coupled photodiode array scans in the other orthogonal direction. Illumination light from the object is incident upon the photodiodes, creating packets of electrons (signals) which are representative of the illuminated object. The signals are then processed, stored in a memory, and finally displayed as a video signal. 2 figs.

For the proper function of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) their structural integrity must be maintained during their whole lifetime. Any cell fracture would cause leakage and partial oxidization of the anode, leading to a reduced performance, if not catastrophic failure of the whole stack. In this study, the mechanical strength of a state of the art SOFC, developed and produced by Hexis AG/Switzerland, was investigated with respect to the influence of temperature and ageing, whilst for the anode side of the cell the strength was measured under reducing and oxidizing atmospheres. Ball-on-3-Ball bending strength tests and fractography conducted on anode and cathode half-cells revealed the underlying mechanisms, which lead to cell fracture. They were found to be different for the cathode and the anode side and that they change with temperature and ageing. Both anode and cathode sides exhibit the lowest strength at T = 850 °C, which is greatly reduced to the initial strength of the bare electrolyte. This reduction is the consequence of the formation of cracks in the electrode layer which either directly penetrate into the electrolyte (anode side) or locally increase the stress intensity level of pre-existing flaws of the electrolytes at the interface (cathode side).

A compact solidstate turbine heat engine can be devised by pairing the nitinol elements. Each element is characterized by being in thermal contact with at least one hot water and one cold water bath and mechanically coupled to at least one driven pulley and driver pulley. A second nitinol element is similarly configured with a driver pulley, driven pulley, hot and cold water bath. The driver pulley associated with the first nitinol element is mechanically coupled to the driven pulley of the second nitinol element. Similarly, the driver pulley of the second nitinol element is mechanically coupled to the driven pulley of the first nitinol element. The paired nitinol elements form a compound solidstate turbine engine wherein each nitinol element lies in a single plane and wherein the engine may be combined with a plurality of such pairs for increased power output. The nitinol elements may also incorporate a snubber to limit the strain on the element and the engine may further incorporate a variable radius pulley to increase the efficiency of mechanical conversion.

Fully solidstate electrochromic displays (ECD) have been prepared several times. But, they all needed more than 1 minute to complete coloring or breaching. Electrochromism of amorphous material is expected to be faster than that of crystalline one by its faster diffusion coefficients of ions due to the open structure. In this study, electrochromic films and a gel electrolyte were made by a sol-gel process using metal salts and alkoxide as raw materials. Tungsten oxide, iridium oxide films and a gel electrolyte were used to fabricate a fully solidstate ECD (electrode/tungsten oxide/gel electrolyte/iridium oxide/electrode) and it electrochromic properties were investigated. Crystalline and amorphous tungsten oxide and iridium oxide films were prepared on soda lime silica glass substrates sputter-coated with indium tin oxide (ITO). Electrochromic properties of amorphous WO3 film were more significant than that of crystalline one. On the other hand, electrochromic properties of amorphous iridium oxide film were less than crystalline one. The ECD showed reversible transmittance modulation of 35% (at 800 nm, film thickness: tungsten oxide 400 nm, iridium oxide 200 nm) under alternative voltage apply of plus or minus 3 V for 0.2 sec. The ECD kept the same transmittance modulation during 200 color-breach cycles.

The proceeding of the 4th SolidState Ionics symposium is presented. This first part of the proceeding deals with the chemistry and physics of insertion materials, mostly from the viewpoint of applications as cathode materials for rechargeable lithium batteries, Ni/Cd, and Ni/metal hydride systems. Crystal chemistry and electrochemistry properties of potential oxides cathodes are discussed. The second part of the proceeding deals with sol-gel process for preparation of cathode materials for lithium batteries and other applications. Novel synthetic methods of preparation of high surface area transition metal oxides are presented. The third part deals with theory of ion conduction in solids, as well as mechanisms of ion conduction in glassy and polymeric materials. Part four deals with defect chemistry in solid electrolytes and the role of defect on ionic conductivity of ceramic electrolytes. The fifth part of the proceedings deals with polymer electrolytes and electrodes. Synthesis, characterization and performance of various polymer electrolytes and electrodes are discussed. The last part of the proceedings deals with characteristics and materials aspect of ionic devices. this includes advance solidstate batteries, sensors, electrochromic devices, fuel cells, and the dynamic of ion exchange in high T(c) superconductors.

A package for one or more solidstate devices in a single module that allows for operation at high voltage, high current, or both high voltage and high current. Low thermal resistance between the solidstate devices and an exterior of the package and matched coefficient of thermal expansion between the solidstate devices and the materials used in packaging enables high power operation. The solidstate devices are soldered between two layers of ceramic with metal traces that interconnect the devices and external contacts. This approach provides a simple method for assembling and encapsulating high power solidstate devices.

In this study, aluminum oxide was deposited on a pure aluminum substrate to produce hard ceramic coatings using a Plasma ElectrolyticOxidation (PEO) process. The process utilized DC, unipolar pulsed DC in the frequency range (0.2 KHz -- 20 KHz) and bipolar pulsed DC current modes. The effects of process parameters (i.e., electrolyte concentration, current density and treatment time) on the plasma discharge behavior during the PEO treatment were investigated using optical emission spectroscopy (OES) in the visible and near ultraviolet (NUV) band (285 nm -- 900 nm). The emission spectra were recorded and plasma temperature profile versus processing time was constructed using the line intensity ratios method. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDS) was used to study the coating microstructure. It was found that the plasma discharge behavior significantly influenced the microstructure and the morphology of the oxide coatings. The main effect came from the strongest discharges which were initiated at the interface between the substrate and the coating. Through manipulation of process parameters to control or reduce the strongest discharge, the density and quality of the coating layers could be modified. This work demonstrated that by adjusting the ratio of the positive to negative pulse currents as well as their timing in order to eliminate the strongest discharges, the quality of the coatings was considerably improved.

The rationale, analysis, design, breadboarding and testing of the incremental functional requirements are reported that led to the development of prototype 1 and 5 Amp dc and 1 Amp ac solidstate power controllers (SSPC's). The SSPC's are to be considered for use as a replacement of electro-mechanical relays and circuit breakers in future spacecraft and aircraft. They satisfy the combined function of both the relay and circuit breaker and can be remotely controlled by small signals, typically 10 mA, 5 to 28 Vdc. They have the advantage over conventional relay/circuit breaker systems in that they can be located near utilization equipment and the primary ac or dc bus. The low level control, trip indication and status signals can be circuited by small guage wire for control, computer interface, logic, electrical multiplexing, unboard testing, and power management and distribution purposes. This results in increased system versatility at appreciable weight saving and increased reliability.

The design, fabrication, and tests of a solidstate television camera using a new charge-coupled imaging device are reported. An RCA charge-coupled device arranged in a 512 by 320 format and directly compatible with EIA format standards was the sensor selected. This is a three-phase, sealed surface-channel array that has 163,840 sensor elements, which employs a vertical frame transfer system for image readout. Included are test results of the complete camera system, circuit description and changes to such circuits as a result of integration and test, maintenance and operation section, recommendations to improve the camera system, and a complete set of electrical and mechanical drawing sketches.

The rapid thermal cycling of a material is targeted. A solidstate heat exchanger with a first well and second well is coupled to a power module. A thermoelectric element is coupled to the first well, the second well, and the power module, is configured to transfer thermal energy from the first well to the second well when current from the power module flows through the thermoelectric element in a first direction, and is configured to transfer thermal energy from the second well to the first well when current from the power module flows through the thermoelectric element in a second direction. A controller may be coupled to the thermoelectric elements, and may switch the direction of current flowing through the thermoelectric element in response to a determination by sensors coupled to the wells that the amount of thermal energy in the wells falls below or exceeds a pre-determined threshold.

For solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) one key aspect is the structural integrity of the cell and hence its thermo mechanical long term behaviour. The present study investigates the failure mechanisms and the actual causes for fracture of electrolyte supported SOFCs which were run using the current μ-CHP system of Hexis AG, Winterthur - Switzerland under lab conditions or at customer sites for up to 40,000 h. In a first step several operated stacks were demounted for post-mortem inspection, followed by a fractographic evaluation of the failed cells. The respective findings are then set into a larger picture including an analysis of the present stresses acting on the cell like thermal and residual stresses and the measurements regarding the temperature dependent electrolyte strength. For all investigated stacks, the mechanical failure of individual cells can be attributed to locally acting bending loads, which rise due to an inhomogeneous and uneven contact between the metallic interconnect and the cell.

Considerable attention has been focused on solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) due to their potential for providing clean and reliable electric power. However, the high operating temperatures of current SOFCs limit their adoption in mobile applications. To lower the SOFC operating temperature, we fabricated a corrugated thin-film electrolyte membrane by nanosphere lithography and atomic layer deposition to reduce the polarization and ohmic losses at low temperatures. The resulting micro-SOFC electrolyte membrane showed a hexagonal-pyramid array nanostructure and achieved a power density of 1.34 W/cm(2) at 500 °C. In the future, arrays of micro-SOFCs with high power density may enable a range of mobile and portable power applications. PMID:21657222

Pseudocapacitive materials are known to suffer from severe capacitance loss during charging/discharging cycling. Here we report flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors (ASSSCs) based on reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/polypyrrole nanotube (PPy NT) papers prepared by a facile vacuum filtration method. It is revealed that the incorporation of rGO nanosheets can improve the electrochemical stability of PPy NT paper electrodes for pseudocapacitors. The hybrid paper electrode shows a high areal specific capacitance of 807 mF/cm2 at 1 mA/cm2 and a large volumetric specific capacitance of 94.3 F/cm3 at 0.1 A/cm3. The assembled ASSSC possesses a maximum areal specific capacitance of 512 mF/cm2 at 1 mA/cm2 and a maximum volumetric specific capacitance of 59.9 F/cm3 at 0.1 A/cm3. Moreover, it also exhibits excellent rate capability (86.3% capacitance retention from 1 to 10 mA/cm2) and cycling stability, little capacitance deviation under different bending states, a small leakage current and a low self-discharge characteristic. The device can provide an areal energy density of 61.4 μWh/cm2 at 10 mW/cm2 and a volumetric energy density of 7.18 mWh/cm3 at 1.17 W/cm3, indicating this high-performance ASSSC is a promising candidate for flexible high-power supply devices.

Purpose: Effective dose (ED) is a widely used metric for comparing ionizing radiation burden between different imaging modalities, scanners, and scan protocols. In computed tomography (CT), ED can be estimated by performing scans on an anthropomorphic phantom in which metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) solid-state dosimeters have been placed to enable organ dose measurements. Here a statistical framework is established to determine the sample size (number of scans) needed for estimating ED to a desired precision and confidence, for a particular scanner and scan protocol, subject to practical limitations. Methods: The statistical scheme involves solving equations which minimize the sample size required for estimating ED to desired precision and confidence. It is subject to a constrained variation of the estimated ED and solved using the Lagrange multiplier method. The scheme incorporates measurement variation introduced both by MOSFET calibration, and by variation in MOSFET readings between repeated CT scans. Sample size requirements are illustrated on cardiac, chest, and abdomen–pelvis CT scans performed on a 320-row scanner and chest CT performed on a 16-row scanner. Results: Sample sizes for estimating ED vary considerably between scanners and protocols. Sample size increases as the required precision or confidence is higher and also as the anticipated ED is lower. For example, for a helical chest protocol, for 95% confidence and 5% precision for the ED, 30 measurements are required on the 320-row scanner and 11 on the 16-row scanner when the anticipated ED is 4 mSv; these sample sizes are 5 and 2, respectively, when the anticipated ED is 10 mSv. Conclusions: Applying the suggested scheme, it was found that even at modest sample sizes, it is feasible to estimate ED with high precision and a high degree of confidence. As CT technology develops enabling ED to be lowered, more MOSFET measurements are needed to estimate ED with the same

Purpose: Effective dose (ED) is a widely used metric for comparing ionizing radiation burden between different imaging modalities, scanners, and scan protocols. In computed tomography (CT), ED can be estimated by performing scans on an anthropomorphic phantom in which metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) solid-state dosimeters have been placed to enable organ dose measurements. Here a statistical framework is established to determine the sample size (number of scans) needed for estimating ED to a desired precision and confidence, for a particular scanner and scan protocol, subject to practical limitations. Methods: The statistical scheme involves solving equations which minimize the sample size required for estimating ED to desired precision and confidence. It is subject to a constrained variation of the estimated ED and solved using the Lagrange multiplier method. The scheme incorporates measurement variation introduced both by MOSFET calibration, and by variation in MOSFET readings between repeated CT scans. Sample size requirements are illustrated on cardiac, chest, and abdomen–pelvis CT scans performed on a 320-row scanner and chest CT performed on a 16-row scanner. Results: Sample sizes for estimating ED vary considerably between scanners and protocols. Sample size increases as the required precision or confidence is higher and also as the anticipated ED is lower. For example, for a helical chest protocol, for 95% confidence and 5% precision for the ED, 30 measurements are required on the 320-row scanner and 11 on the 16-row scanner when the anticipated ED is 4 mSv; these sample sizes are 5 and 2, respectively, when the anticipated ED is 10 mSv. Conclusions: Applying the suggested scheme, it was found that even at modest sample sizes, it is feasible to estimate ED with high precision and a high degree of confidence. As CT technology develops enabling ED to be lowered, more MOSFET measurements are needed to estimate ED with the same

In this study, we describe a novel solid-state thin-film Ag/AgCl reference electrode (SSRE) that was coated with a protective layer of graphene oxide (GO). This layer was prepared by drop casting a solution of GO on the Ag/AgCl thin film. The potential differences exhibited by the SSRE were less than 2 mV for 26 days. The cyclic voltammograms of the SSRE were almost similar to those of a commercial reference electrode, while the diffusion coefficient of Fe(CN)63− as calculated from the cathodic peaks of the SSRE was 6.48 × 10−6 cm2/s. The SSRE was used in conjunction with a laboratory-made working electrode to determine its suitability for practical use. The average pH sensitivity of this combined sensor was 58.5 mV/pH in the acid-to-base direction; the correlation coefficient was greater than 0.99. In addition, an integrated pH sensor that included the SSRE was packaged in a secure digital (SD) card and tested. The average sensitivity of the chip was 56.8 mV/pH, with the correlation coefficient being greater than 0.99. In addition, a pH sensing test was also performed by using a laboratory-made potentiometer, which showed a sensitivity of 55.4 mV/pH, with the correlation coefficient being greater than 0.99. PMID:25789490

Provided is a composite electrochemical device fabricated from highly electronically conductive materials such as metals, metal alloys, or electronically conductive ceramics. The electronic conductivity of the electrode substrate is maximized. The invention allows for an electrode with high electronic conductivity and sufficient catalytic activity to achieve high power density in ionic (electrochemical) devices such as fuel cells and electrolytic gas separation systems including oxygen generation system.

The present short overview focuses on the renovation of solidstate processes toward phase pure and well-crystallized complex oxides centered on the electroceramic materials. Elevation of the reactivity and preservation of stoichiometry of the starting mixture or precursor are of universal importance. Mechanical activation, being considered as versatile, may also need reconsideration in view of contamination and process rationalization. After briefly reviewing mechanochemical processes for direct synthesis of complex oxides, solidstate processes toward well crystallized fine particles of complex oxides are discussed by starting from mechanochemically derived precursors with subsequent optimized calcination. Case studies were cited from literatures for complex oxides, including author's own experimental studies mainly with BaBi(2)Ta(2)O(9) (BBT), Ba(Mg(1/3)Ta(2/3))O(3) (BMT) and KNbO(3) (KN). The substances discussed are mostly associated with ferroelectric materials, with a few exceptions of iron-containing magnetic materials. PMID:25286196

The construction of a solidstate device-based pyranometer designated to broadband irradiance measurements is presented in this paper. The device is built on the physical basis that the temperature difference between two bodies of identical shape and external surface area, identically exposed to the incident radiation, but having different absorption and heat transfer coefficients (e.g. one body is painted white and the other is painted black), is proportional to the incident irradiance. This proportionality may be put in evidence if the two bodies consisting of identical arrays of correspondingly painted semiconductor diodes, due to the thermal behaviour of their p-n junction. It is theoretically predicted and experimentally confirmed that the voltage drop across a diode passed through a constant forward current linearly decreases with the temperature of the junction. In other words, a signal proportional to the irradiance of the light source may be obtained via conventional analog electronics. The calibration of the apparatus, as performed by means of a professional device (LP PYRA 03), indicates a good linearity.

Solidstate power controllers (SSPC's) are to be considered for use as replacements of electromechanical relays and circuit breakers in future spacecraft and aircraft. They satisfy the combined function of both the relay and circuit breaker and can be remotely controlled by small signals, typically 10 mA, 5 to 28 v(dc). They have the advantage over conventional relay/circuit breaker systems in that they can be located near the utilization equipment and the primary ac or dc bus. The low level control, trip indication and status signals can be circuited by small gauge wire for control, computer interface, logic, electrical multiplexing, onboard testing, power management, and distribution purposes. This results in increased system versatility at appreciable weight saving and increased reliability. Conventional systems require the heavy gage load wiring and the control wiring to be routed from the bus to the load to other remote relay contacts, switches, sensors, etc. and to the circuit breaker located in the flight engineer's compartment for purposes of manual reset.

A wavelength-tunable, injection-seeded, dispersion-compensated, dispersively-pumped solidstate laser includes a lasing medium; a highly reflective mirror; an output coupler; at least one isosceles Brewster prism oriented to the minimum deviation angle between the medium and the mirror for directing light of different wavelengths along different paths; means for varying the angle of the highly reflective mirror relative to the light from at least one Brewster angle for selecting a predetermined laser operating wavelength; a dispersion compensation apparatus associated with the lasing medium; a laser injection seeding port disposed between the dispersion compensation apparatus and one of the mirror and coupler and including a reflective surface at an acute non-Brewster angle to the laser beam for introducing a seed input; a dispersion compensation apparatus associated with the laser medium including opposite chirality optical elements; the lasing medium including a pump surface disposed at an acute angle to the laser beam to define a discrete path for the pumping laser beam separate from the pumped laser beam.

A mixed potential electrochemical sensor for the detection of gases has a ceria-based electrolyte with a surface for exposing to the gases to be detected, and with a reference wire electrode and a sensing wire electrode extending through the surface and fixed within the electrolyte as the electrolyte is compressed and sintered. The electrochemical sensor is formed by placing a wire reference electrode and a wire sensing electrode in a die, where each electrode has a first compressed planar section and a second section depending from the first section with the second section of each electrode extending axially within the die. The die is filled with an oxide-electrolyte powder and the powder is pressed within the die with the wire electrodes. The wire-electrodes and the pressed oxide-electrolyte powder are sintered to form a ceramic electrolyte base with a reference wire electrode and a sensing wire electrode depending therefrom.

A mixed potential electrochemical sensor for the detection of gases has a ceria-based electrolyte with a surface for exposing to the gases to be detected, and with a reference wire electrode and a sensing wire electrode extending through the surface and fixed within the electrolyte as the electrolyte is compressed and sintered. The electrochemical sensor is formed by placing a wire reference electrode and a wire sensing electrode in a die, where each electrode has a first compressed planar section and a second section depending from the first section with the second section of each electrode extending axially within the die. The die is filled with an oxide-electrolyte powder and the powder is pressed within the die with the wire electrodes. The wire-electrodes and the pressed oxide-electrolyte powder are sintered to form a ceramic electrolyte base with a reference wire electrode and a sensing wire electrode depending therefrom.

An all-solid-state continuous-wave (cw) laser system for ultraviolet absorption measurements of the nitric oxide (NO) molecule has been developed and demonstrated. For the NO sensor, 250 nW of tunable cw ultraviolet radiation is produced by sum-frequency-mixing of 532-nm radiation from a diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser and tunable 395-nm radiation from an external cavity diode laser (ECDL). The sum-frequency-mixing process occurs in a beta-barium borate crystal. The nitric oxide absorption measurements are performed by tuning the ECDL and scanning the sum-frequency-mixed radiation over strong nitric oxide absorption lines near 226 nm. In Year 1 of the research, the nitric oxide sensor was used for measurements in the exhaust of a coal-fired laboratory combustion facility. The Texas A&M University boiler burner facility is a 30 kW (100,000 Btu/hr) downward-fired furnace with a steel shell encasing ceramic insulation. Measurements of nitric oxide concentration in the exhaust stream were performed after modification of the facility for laser based NOx diagnostics. The diode-laser-based ultraviolet absorption measurements were successful even when the beam was severely attenuated by particulate in the exhaust stream and window fouling. Single-laser-sweep measurements were demonstrated with an effective time resolution of 100 msec, limited at this time by the scan rate of our mechanically tuned ECDL system. In Year 2, the Toptica ECDL in the original system was replaced with a Sacher Lasers ECDL. The mode-hop-free tuning range and tuning rate of the Toptica ECDL were 25 GHz and a few Hz, respectively. The mode-hop-free tuning range and tuning rate of the Sacher Lasers ECDL were 90 GHz and a few hundred Hz, respectively. The Sacher Lasers ECDL thus allows us to scan over the entire NO absorption line and to determine the absorption baseline with increased accuracy and precision. The increased tuning rate is an advantage in that data can be acquired much more rapidly and the

In this paper, we report the surprisingly low electrolyte/electrode interface resistance of 8.6 Ω cm(2) observed in thin-film batteries. This value is an order of magnitude smaller than that presented in previous reports on all-solid-state lithium batteries. The value is also smaller than that found in a liquid electrolyte-based batteries. The low interface resistance indicates that the negative space-charge layer effects at the Li3PO(4-x)N(x)/LiCoO2 interface are negligible and demonstrates that it is possible to fabricate all-solidstate batteries with faster charging/discharging properties. PMID:25710500

Behaviors of functional interfaces are crucial factors in the performance and safety of energy storage and conversion devices. Indeed, solid electrode–solid electrolyte interfacial impedance is now considered the main limiting factor in all-solid-state batteries rather than low ionic conductivity of the solid electrolyte. Here, we present a new approach to conducting in situ scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) coupled with electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) in order to uncover the unique interfacial phenomena related to lithium ion transport and its corresponding charge transfer. Our approach allowed quantitative spectroscopic characterization of a galvanostatically biased electrochemical system under in situ conditions. Usingmore » a LiCoO2/LiPON/Si thin film battery, an unexpected structurally disordered interfacial layer between LiCoO2 cathode and LiPON electrolyte was discovered to be inherent to this interface without cycling. During in situ charging, spectroscopic characterization revealed that this interfacial layer evolved to form highly oxidized Co ions species along with lithium oxide and lithium peroxide species. Here, these findings suggest that the mechanism of interfacial impedance at the LiCoO2/LiPON interface is caused by chemical changes rather than space charge effects. Insights gained from this technique will shed light on important challenges of interfaces in all-solid-state energy storage and conversion systems and facilitate improved engineering of devices operated far from equilibrium.« less

Behaviors of functional interfaces are crucial factors in the performance and safety of energy storage and conversion devices. Indeed, solid electrode-solid electrolyte interfacial impedance is now considered the main limiting factor in all-solid-state batteries rather than low ionic conductivity of the solid electrolyte. Here, we present a new approach to conducting in situ scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) coupled with electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) in order to uncover the unique interfacial phenomena related to lithium ion transport and its corresponding charge transfer. Our approach allowed quantitative spectroscopic characterization of a galvanostatically biased electrochemical system under in situ conditions. Using a LiCoO2/LiPON/Si thin film battery, an unexpected structurally disordered interfacial layer between LiCoO2 cathode and LiPON electrolyte was discovered to be inherent to this interface without cycling. During in situ charging, spectroscopic characterization revealed that this interfacial layer evolved to form highly oxidized Co ions species along with lithium oxide and lithium peroxide species. These findings suggest that the mechanism of interfacial impedance at the LiCoO2/LiPON interface is caused by chemical changes rather than space charge effects. Insights gained from this technique will shed light on important challenges of interfaces in all-solid-state energy storage and conversion systems and facilitate improved engineering of devices operated far from equilibrium. PMID:27140196

Polymer backbone dynamics of single ion conducting poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based ionomer samples with low glass transition temperatures (Tg) have been investigated using solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Experiments detecting 13C with 1H decoupling under magic angle spinning (MAS) conditions identified the different components of the polymer backbone (PEO spacer and isophthalate groups) and their relative mobilities for a suite of lithium- and sodium-containing ionomer samples with varying cation contents. Variable temperature (203-373 K) 1H-13C cross-polarization MAS (CP-MAS) experiments also provided qualitative assessment of the differences in the motions of the polymer backbone components as a function of cation content and identity. Each of the main backbone components exhibit distinct motions, following the trends expected for motional characteristics based on earlier Quasi Elastic Neutron Scattering and 1H spin-lattice relaxation rate measurements. Previous 1H and 7Li spin-lattice relaxation measurements focused on both the polymer backbone and cation motion on the nanosecond timescale. The studies presented here assess the slower timescale motion of the polymer backbone allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of the polymer dynamics. The temperature dependences of 13C linewidths were used to both qualitatively and quantitatively examine the effects of cation content and identity on PEO spacer mobility. Variable contact time 1H-13C CP-MAS experiments were used to further assess the motions of the polymer backbone on the microsecond timescale. The motion of the PEO spacer, reported via the rate of magnetization transfer from 1H to 13C nuclei, becomes similar for T ≳ 1.1 Tg in all ionic samples, indicating that at similar elevated reduced temperatures the motions of the polymer backbones on the microsecond timescale become insensitive to ion interactions. These results present an improved picture, beyond those of previous findings, for

Polymer backbone dynamics of single ion conducting poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based ionomer samples with low glass transition temperatures (Tg) have been investigated using solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance. Experiments detecting 13C with 1H decoupling under magic angle spinning (MAS) conditions identified the different components of the polymer backbone (PEO spacer and isophthalate groups) and their relative mobilities for a suite of lithium- and sodium-containing ionomer samples with varying cation contents. Variable temperature (203-373 K) 1H-13C cross-polarization MAS (CP-MAS) experiments also provided qualitative assessment of the differences in the motions of the polymer backbone components as a function of cation content and identity. Each of the main backbone components exhibit distinct motions, following the trends expected for motional characteristics based on earlier Quasi Elastic Neutron Scattering and 1H spin-lattice relaxation rate measurements. Previous 1H and 7Li spin-lattice relaxation measurements focused on both the polymer backbone and cation motion on the nanosecond timescale. The studies presented here assess the slower timescale motion of the polymer backbone allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of the polymer dynamics. The temperature dependences of 13C linewidths were used to both qualitatively and quantitatively examine the effects of cation content and identity on PEO spacer mobility. Variable contact time 1H-13C CP-MAS experiments were used to further assess the motions of the polymer backbone on the microsecond timescale. The motion of the PEO spacer, reported via the rate of magnetization transfer from 1H to 13C nuclei, becomes similar for T ˜x 1{.1} Tg in all ionic samples, indicating that at similar elevated reduced temperatures the motions of the polymer backbones on the microsecond timescale become insensitive to ion interactions. These results present an improved picture, beyond those of previous findings, for the

Solidstateelectrolytes with high oxygen ionic conductivity at low temperatures are required to develop cost effective and efficient solid oxide fuel cells. This study investigates the influence of engineered interfaces on the oxygen ionic conductivity of nano-scale multilayer thin film electrolytes. The epitaxial Sm2O3 doped CeO2 (SDC) and Sc2O3 stabilized ZrO2 (ScSZ) are selected as the alternative layers for the proposed multilayer thin film electrolyte based on the optimum structural, chemical, and electrical properties reported in the previous studies. The epitaxial SDC(111)/ScSZ(111) multilayer thin films are grown on high purity Al2O3(0001) substrates by oxygen-plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Prior to the deposition of multilayers, the growth parameters are optimized for epitaxial CeO 2, ZrO2, SDC, and ScSZ thin films. The epitaxial orientation and surface morphology of CeO2 thin films shows dependency on the growth rate. Epitaxial CeO2(111) is obtained at relatively high growth rates (>9 A/min) at a substrate temperature of 650°C and an oxygen partial pressure of 2 x 10 -5 Torr. The same growth parameters are used for the deposition of ZrO2 thin films. ZrO2 exhibits both monoclinic and cubic phases, which is stabilized in the cubic structure by doping with Sc 2O3. The Sm and Sc evaporation rates are varied during the growth to obtain thin films of 15 mol % SmO1.5 doped CeO2 and 20 mol % ScO1.5 stabilized ZrO2, respectively. The SDC/ScSZ multilayer thin films are grown using the same growth parameters by varying the number of layers. The SDC/ScSZ multilayer thin films show significant enhancement in the oxygen ionic conductivity in comparison to single layer SDC and ScSZ thin films. The increase in the oxygen ionic conductivity with the increase in number of layers can be attributed to lattice mismatch induced ionic conductivity along the interfaces. The 8-layer film exhibits the maximum oxygen ionic conductivity with one order of magnitude

Low-cost, mechanically strong, highly electronically conductive porous substrates and associated structures for solid-state electrochemical devices, techniques for forming these structures, and devices incorporating the structures provide solidstate electrochemical device substrates of novel composition and techniques for forming thin electrode/membrane/electrolyte coatings on the novel or more conventional substrates. In particular, in one aspect the invention provides techniques for co-firing of device substrate (often an electrode) with an electrolyte or membrane layer to form densified electrolyte/membrane films 5 to 20 microns thick. In another aspect, densified electrolyte/membrane films 5 to 20 microns thick may be formed on a pre-sintered substrate by a constrained sintering process. In some cases, the substrate may be a porous metal, alloy, or non-nickel cermet incorporating one or more of the transition metals Cr, Fe and Cu, or alloys thereof.

Provided are low-cost, mechanically strong, highly electronically conductive porous substrates and associated structures for solid-state electrochemical devices, techniques for forming these structures, and devices incorporating the structures. The invention provides solidstate electrochemical device substrates of novel composition and techniques for forming thin electrode/membrane/electrolyte coatings on the novel or more conventional substrates. In particular, in one embodiment the invention provides techniques for co-firing of device substrate (often an electrode) with an electrolyte or membrane layer to form densified electrolyte/membrane films 5 to 20 microns thick. In another embodiment, densified electrolyte/membrane films 5 to 20 microns thick may be formed on a pre-sintered substrate by a constrained sintering process. In some cases, the substrate may be a porous metal, alloy, or non-nickel cermet incorporating one or more of the transition metals Cr, Fe, Cu and Ag, or alloys thereof.

Provided are low-cost, mechanically strong, highly electronically conductive porous substrates and associated structures for solid-state electrochemical devices, techniques for forming these structures, and devices incorporating the structures. The invention provides solidstate electrochemical device substrates of novel composition and techniques for forming thin electrode/membrane/electrolyte coatings on the novel or more conventional substrates. In particular, in one embodiment the invention provides techniques for co-firing of device substrate (often an electrode) with an electrolyte or membrane layer to form densified electrolyte/membrane films 5 to 20 microns thick. In another embodiment, densified electrolyte/membrane films 5 to 20 microns thick may be formed on a pre-sintered substrate by a constrained sintering process. In some cases, the substrate may be a porous metal, alloy, or non-nickel cermet incorporating one or more of the transition metals Cr, Fe, Cu and Ag, or alloys thereof.

A solid-state polymer lithium metal battery having a LiFePO 4/C composite cathode and a poly(ethylene oxide) PEO-based solid polymer electrolyte was assembled and characterized in terms of specific energy and power according to the protocol for electric vehicle (EV) application set by the USABC-DOE. The results of these tests show that this polymer battery surpasses the goals stated by USABC-DOE and, hence, may be suitable for application in the evolving EV market.

... part of blood that doesn't contain cells. Sodium, potassium, and chloride levels can also be measured as part of ... in urine. It test the levels of calcium, chloride, potassium, sodium, and other electrolytes.

... part of blood that doesn't contain cells. Sodium, potassium, and chloride levels can also be measured as part of ... in urine. It test the levels of calcium, chloride, potassium, sodium, and other electrolytes. References Chernecky CC, Berger BJ. ...

The plasma electrolyticoxidation (PEO) of aluminum in sodium tungstate (Na(2)WO(4) · (2)H(2)O) and Na(2)WO(4) · (2)H(2)O doped with Zr was analyzed in order to obtain oxide coatings with improved corrosion resistance. The influence of current density in PEO process and anodization time was investigated, as well as the influence of Zr, with the aim to find out how they affect the chemical content, morphology, surface roughness, and corrosion stability of oxide coatings. It was shown that the presence of Zr increases the corrosion stability of oxide coatings for all investigated PEO times. Evolution of EIS spectra during the exposure to 3% NaCl, as a strong corrosive agent, indicated the highest corrosion stability for PEO coating formed on aluminum at 70 mA/cm(2) for 2 min in a zirconium containing electrolyte. PMID:25125114

Stabilized quadrivalent cation oxideelectrolytes are employed in fuel cells at elevated temperatures with a carbon and/or hydrogen containing fuel anode and an oxygen cathode. The fuel cell is operated at elevated temperatures with conductive metallic coatings as electrodes and desirably having the electrolyte surface blackened. Of particular interest as the quadrivalent oxide is zirconia.

Tests have shown that modification of chemical compositions can increase the strengths and fracture toughnesses of solid oxide fuel-cell (SOFC) electrolytes. Heretofore, these solid electrolytes have been made of yttria-stabilized zirconia, which is highly conductive for oxygen ions at high temperatures, as needed for operation of fuel cells. Unfortunately yttria-stabilized zirconia has a high coefficient of thermal expansion, low resistance to thermal shock, low fracture toughness, and low mechanical strength. The lack of strength and toughness are especially problematic for fabrication of thin SOFC electrolyte membranes needed for contemplated aeronautical, automotive, and stationary power-generation applications. The modifications of chemical composition that lead to increased strength and fracture toughness consist in addition of alumina to the basic yttria-stabilized zirconia formulations. Techniques for processing of yttria-stabilized zirconia/alumina composites containing as much as 30 mole percent of alumina have been developed. The composite panels fabricated by these techniques have been found to be dense and free of cracks. The only material phases detected in these composites has been cubic zirconia and a alumina: this finding signifies that no undesired chemical reactions between the constituents occurred during processing at elevated temperatures. The flexural strengths and fracture toughnesses of the various zirconia-alumina composites were measured in air at room temperature as well as at a temperature of 1,000 C (a typical SOFC operating temperature). The measurements showed that both flexural strength and fracture toughness increased with increasing alumina content at both temperatures. In addition, the modulus of elasticity and the thermal conductivity were found to increase and the density to decrease with increasing alumina content. The oxygen-ion conductivity at 1,000 C was found to be unchanged by the addition of alumina.

Researchers in the field of mineral physics have become aware of new analytical techniques for studying the electronic structure of solids; one such technique is the X ray absorption fine structure (XFAS) method. In this technique the fine structure of the X ray K-edge, for example, can b e employed as a critical probe of t h e intricacies of a crystal structure (P. A. Lee, P. H. Citrin, P. Eisenberger, and B. M. Kincaid, Rev. Mod. Phys., 53, 799, 1981).A similar, related technique, X ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES), is a relatively unknown method of studying the electronic structure of solids. XANES is new, and due to its complex nature, data on all but very simple solids have not yet been applied rigorously. Among the first XANES results on minerals is the recent study reported by G. Knapp, B. Veal, H. Pan, and T. Klipper (SolidState Comm. 44, 1343, 1982) on perovskites, magnesiowustites, and other 3d oxides in the zircon and spinel groups. The interpretation of these results is still semiquantitative, being based on ground state and basic selection rule considerations. The results show, however, a strong correlation between near-edge spectra and crystal structure.

Solidstate jumper cables for connecting two batteries in parallel, having two bridge rectifiers for developing a reference voltage, a four-input decoder for determining which terminals are to be connected based on a comparison of the voltage at each of the four terminals to the reference voltage, and a pair of relays for effecting the correct connection depending on the determination of the decoder. No connection will be made unless only one terminal of each battery has a higher voltage than the reference voltage, indicating positive'' terminals, and one has a lower voltage than the reference voltage, indicating negative'' terminals, and that, therefore, the two high voltage terminals may be connected and the two lower voltage terminals may be connected. Current flows once the appropriate relay device is closed. The relay device is preferably a MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor) combined with a series array of photodiodes that develop MOSFET gate-closing potential when the decoder output causes an LED to light.

Solidstate jumper cables for connecting two batteries in parallel, having two bridge rectifiers for developing a reference voltage, a four-input decoder for determining which terminals are to be connected based on a comparison of the voltage at each of the four terminals to the reference voltage, and a pair of relays for effecting the correct connection depending on the determination of the decoder. No connection will be made unless only one terminal of each battery has a higher voltage than the reference voltage, indicating "positive" terminals, and one has a lower voltage than the reference voltage, indicating "negative" terminals, and that, therefore, the two high voltage terminals may be connected and the two lower voltage terminals may be connected. Current flows once the appropriate relay device is closed. The relay device is preferably a MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor) combined with a series array of photodiodes that develop MOSFET gate-closing potential when the decoder output causes an LED to light.

Utilization of cathode material increased. Improved composite-cathode/polymer-electrolyte units for solid-state lithium secondary electrochemical cells fabricated in modified version of original method of fabrication. Further development of units may lead to increases in energy and power densities and in cycle lives of rechargeable lithium cells.

An improved electrical output connection means is provided for a high temperature solid oxideelectrolyte type fuel cell generator. The electrical connection of the fuel cell electrodes to the electrical output bus, which is brought through the generator housing to be connected to an electrical load line maintains a highly uniform temperature distribution. The electrical connection means includes an electrode bus which is spaced parallel to the output bus with a plurality of symmetrically spaced transversely extending conductors extending between the electrode bus and the output bus, with thermal insulation means provided about the transverse conductors between the spaced apart buses. Single or plural stages of the insulated transversely extending conductors can be provided within the high temperatures regions of the fuel cell generator to provide highly homogeneous temperature distribution over the contacting surfaces.

The advent of solid-state polymer electrolytes for application in lithium batteries took place more than four decades ago when the ability of polyethylene oxide (PEO) to dissolve suitable lithium salts was demonstrated. Since then, many modifications of this basic system have been proposed and tested, involving the addition of conventional, carbonate-based electrolytes, low molecular weight polymers, ceramic fillers, and others. This Review focuses on ternary polymer electrolytes, that is, ion-conducting systems consisting of a polymer incorporating two salts, one bearing the lithium cation and the other introducing additional anions capable of plasticizing the polymer chains. Assessing the state of the research field of solid-state, ternary polymer electrolytes, while giving background on the whole field of polymer electrolytes, this Review is expected to stimulate new thoughts and ideas on the challenges and opportunities of lithium-metal batteries. PMID:26783056

This report summarizes the progress of the SolidState Photovoltaic Research Branch of the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) from October 1, 1988, through September 30,l 1989. Six technical sections of the report cover these main areas of SERIs in-house research: Semiconductor Crystal Growth, Amorphous Silicon Research, Polycrystalline Thin Films, III-V High-Efficiency Photovoltaic Cells, Solid-State Theory, and Laser Raman and Luminescence Spectroscopy. Sections have been indexed separately for inclusion on the data base.

An amplified solid-state electrochemiluminescence (ECL) biosensor for detection of cholesterol in near-infrared (NIR) range was constructed based on CdTe quantum dots (QDs) decorated multiwalled carbon nanotubes@reduced graphene nanoribbons (CdTe-MWCNTs@rGONRs), which were prepared by electrostatic interactions. The CdTe QDs decorated on the MWCNTs@rGONRs resulted in the amplified ECL intensity by ~4.5 fold and decreased onset potential by ~100 mV. By immobilization of the cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) and NIR CdTe-MWCNTs@rGONRs on the electrode surface, a solid-state ECL biosensor for cholesterol detection was constructed. When cholesterol was added to the detection solution, the immobilized ChOx catalyzed the oxidation of cholesterol to generate H2O2, which could be used as the co-reactant in the ECL system of CdTe-MWCNTs@rGONRs. The as-prepared biosensor exhibited good performance for cholesterol detection including good reproducibility, selectivity, and acceptable linear range from 1 μM to 1mM with a relative low detection limit of 0.33 μM (S/N=3). The biosensor was successfully applied to the determination of cholesterol in biological fluid and food sample, which would open a new possibility for development of solid-state ECL biosensors with NIR emitters. PMID:26086441

Electrochemical double-layer capacitors, or 'supercapacitors' are attracting increasing attention as high-power energy storage devices for a wide range of technological applications. These devices store charge through electrostatic interactions between liquid electrolyte ions and the surfaces of porous carbon electrodes. However, many aspects of the fundamental mechanism of supercapacitance are still not well understood, and there is a lack of experimental techniques which are capable of studying working devices. Recently, solid-state NMR has emerged as a powerful tool for studying the local environments and behaviour of electrolyte ions in supercapacitor electrodes. In this Trends article, we review these recent developments and applications. We first discuss the basic principles underlying the mechanism of supercapacitance, as well as the key NMR observables that are relevant to the study of supercapacitor electrodes. We then review some practical aspects of the study of working devices using ex situ and in situ methodologies and explain the key advances that these techniques have allowed on the study of supercapacitor charging mechanisms. NMR experiments have revealed that the pores of the carbon electrodes contain a significant number of electrolyte ions in the absence of any charging potential. This has important implications for the molecular mechanisms of supercapacitance, as charge can be stored by different ion adsorption/desorption processes. Crucially, we show how in situ NMR experiments can be used to quantitatively study and characterise the charging mechanism, with the experiments providing the most detailed picture of charge storage to date, offering the opportunity to design enhanced devices. Finally, an outlook for future directions for solid-state NMR in supercapacitor research is offered. PMID:26974032

In this work, the contribution of mediated oxidation mechanisms in the electrolytic degradation of cyanuric acid using boron-doped diamond (BDD) anodes was investigated in different electrolytes. A complete mineralization of cyanuric acid was obtained in NaCl; however lower degrees of mineralization of 70% and 40% were obtained in Na2SO4 and NaClO4, respectively. This can be explained by the nature of the oxidants electrogenerated in each electrolyte. It is clear that the contribution of active chlorine (Cl2, HClO, ClO(-)) electrogenerated from oxidation of chlorides on BDD is much more important in the electrolytic degradation of cyanuric acid than the persulfate and hydroxyl radicals produced by electro-oxidation of sulfate and water on BDD anodes. This could be explained by the high affinity of active chlorine towards nitrogen compounds. No organic intermediates were detected during the electrolytic degradation of cyanuric acid in any the electrolytes, which can be explained by their immediate depletion by hydroxyl radicals produced on the BDD surface. Nitrates and ammonium were the final products of electrolytic degradation of cyanuric acid on BDD anodes in all electrolytes. In addition, small amounts of chloramines were formed in the chloride medium. Low current density (≤10mA/cm(2)) and neutral medium (pH in the range 6-9) should be used for high efficiency electrolytic degradation and negligible formation of hazardous chlorate and perchlorate. PMID:27372125

Batteries are electrochemical devices that store electrical energy in the form of chemical energy. Among known batteries, Li ion batteries (LiBs) provide the highest gravimetric and volumetric energy densities, making them ideal candidates for use in portable electronics and plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles. Conventional LiBs use an organic polymer electrolyte, which exhibits several safety issues including leakage, poor chemical stability and flammability. The use of a solid-state (ceramic) electrolyte to produce all-solid-state LiBs can overcome all of the above issues. Also, solid-state Li batteries can operate at high voltage, thus, producing high power density. Various types of solid Li-ion electrolytes have been reported; this review is focused on the most promising solid Li-ion electrolytes based on garnet-type metal oxides. The first studied Li-stuffed garnet-type compounds are Li5La3M2O12 (M = Nb, Ta), which show a Li-ion conductivity of ∼10(-6) at 25 °C. La and M sites can be substituted by various metal ions leading to Li-rich garnet-type electrolytes, such as Li6ALa2M2O12, (A = Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Sr0.5Ba0.5) and Li7La3C2O12 (C = Zr, Sn). Among the known Li-stuffed garnets, Li6.4La3Zr1.4Ta0.6O12 exhibits the highest bulk Li-ion conductivity of 10(-3) S cm(-1) at 25 °C with an activation energy of 0.35 eV, which is an order of magnitude lower than that of the currently used polymer, but is chemically stable at higher temperatures and voltages compared to polymer electrolytes. Here, we discuss the chemical composition-structure-ionic conductivity relationship of the Li-stuffed garnet-type oxides, as well as the Li ion conduction mechanism. PMID:24681593

Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) thin film electrolyte deposited by plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) was investigated. PEALD YSZ-based bi-layered thin film electrolyte was employed for thin film solid oxide fuel cells on nanoporous anodic aluminum oxide substrates, whose electrochemical performance was compared to the cell with sputtered YSZ-based electrolyte. The cell with PEALD YSZ electrolyte showed higher open circuit voltage (OCV) of 1.0 V and peak power density of 182 mW cm(-2) at 450 °C compared to the one with sputtered YSZ electrolyte(0.88 V(OCV), 70 mW cm(-2)(peak power density)). High OCV and high power density of the cell with PEALD YSZ-based electrolyte is due to the reduction in ohmic and activation losses as well as the gas and electrical current tightness. PMID:27595193

Electrolytic - usually referred to as electrochemical - exfoliation of graphite in water under anodic potential holds enormous promise as a simple, green and high-yield method for the mass production of graphene, but currently suffers from several drawbacks that hinder its widespread adoption, one of the most critical being the oxidation and subsequent structural degradation of the carbon lattice that is usually associated with such a production process. To overcome this and other limitations, we introduce and implement the concept of multifunctional electrolytes. The latter are amphiphilic anions (mostly polyaromatic hydrocarbons appended with sulfonate groups) that play different relevant roles as (1) an intercalating electrolyte to trigger exfoliation of graphite into graphene flakes, (2) a dispersant to afford stable aqueous colloidal suspensions of the flakes suitable for further use, (3) a sacrificial agent to prevent graphene oxidation during exfoliation and (4) a linker to promote nanoparticle anchoring on the graphene flakes, yielding functional hybrids. The implementation of this strategy with some selected amphiphiles even furnishes anodically exfoliated graphenes of a quality similar to that of flakes produced by direct, ultrasound- or shear-induced exfoliation of graphite in the liquid phase (i.e., almost oxide- and defect-free). These high quality materials were used for the preparation of catalytically efficient graphene-Pt nanoparticle hybrids, as demonstrated by model reactions (reduction of nitroarenes). The multifunctional performance of these electrolytes is also discussed and rationalized, and a mechanistic picture of their oxidation-preventing ability is proposed. Overall, the present results open the prospect of anodic exfoliation as a competitive method for the production of very high quality graphene flakes.Electrolytic - usually referred to as electrochemical - exfoliation of graphite in water under anodic potential holds enormous promise

An apparatus and process for reducing uranium and/or plutonium oxides to produce a solid, high-purity metal. The apparatus is an electrolyte cell consisting of a first container, and a smaller second container within the first container. An electrolyte fills both containers, the level of the electrolyte in the first container being above the top of the second container so that the electrolyte can be circulated between the containers. The anode is positioned in the first container while the cathode is located in the second container. Means are provided for passing an inert gas into the electrolyte near the lower end of the anode to sparge the electrolyte and to remove gases which form on the anode during the reduction operation. Means are also provided for mixing and stirring the electrolyte in the first container to solubilize the metal oxide in the electrolyte and to transport the electrolyte containing dissolved oxide into contact with the cathode in the second container. The cell is operated at a temperature below the melting temperature of the metal product so that the metal forms as a solid on the cathode.

Conventional lithium-ion liquid-electrolyte batteries are widely used in portable electronic equipment such as laptop computers, cell phones, and electric vehicles; however, they have several drawbacks, including expensive sealing agents and inherent hazards of fire and leakages. All solidstate batteries utilize solidstateelectrolytes to overcome the safety issues of liquid electrolytes. Drawbacks for all-solidstate lithium-ion batteries include high resistance at ambient temperatures and design intricacies. This paper is a comprehensive review of all aspects of solidstate batteries: their design, the materials used, and a detailed literature review of various important advances made in research. The paper exhaustively studies lithium based solidstate batteries, as they are the most prevalent, but also considers non-lithium based systems. Non-lithium based solidstate batteries are attaining widespread commercial applications, as are also lithium based polymeric solidstateelectrolytes. Tabular representations and schematic diagrams are provided to underscore the unique characteristics of solidstate batteries and their capacity to occupy a niche in the alternative energy sector.

This document contains visual aids used in an invited talk entitled Modern SolidState Laser Materials, presented at the Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO) held in Anaheim, California, on June 20, 1984. Interest at LLNL in solidstate lasers focuses on evaluating the potential of solidstate laser media for high average power applications, including inertial fusion power production. This talk identifies the relevant bulk material parameters characterizing average power capacity and uses chromium and neodymium co-doped gadolinium scandium gallium garnet (Nd:Cr:GSGG) as an example of a laser material with improved laser properties relative to Nd:YAG (plausible large-scale growth, more efficient spectral coupling to xenon flashlamp radiation, reduced stimulated emission cross section, adequate thermal shock and optical damage threshold parameters, etc.). Recently measured spectroscopic, kinetic, and thermo-mechanical properties of Nd:Cr:GSGG are given.

An insightful study on the fundamental lithium storage behavior of all-solid-state lithium battery with a structure of LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA)/Li10GeP2S12/Li-In is carried out in this work. The relationship between electrochemical performances and particle size, surface impurities and defects of the NCA positive material is systematically investigated. It is found that a ball-milling technique can decrease the particle size and remove surface impurities of the NCA cathode while also give rise to surface defects which could be recovered by a post-annealing process. The results indicate that the interfacial resistance between the NCA and Li10GeP2S12 is obviously decreased during the ball-milling followed by a post-annealing. Consequently, the discharge capacity of NCA in the NCA/Li10GeP2S12/Li-In solid-state battery is significantly enhanced, which exhibits a discharge capacity of 146 mAh g-1 at 25 °C.

In this paper, the rheology and crystallization of composite Poly(Ethylene Oxide) (PEO) electrolytes were studied by dynamic mechanical analysis, DSC and polarized light microscopy. The effects of fumed silica nanoparticles on the conductivities of the polymer electrolytes at temperatures above and below their melting point were measured and related to their rheology and crystallization behavior, respectively. The electrolyte/electrode interfacial properties and cycling performances of the composite polymer electrolytes in Li/Li cells are also discussed. The measured electrochemical properties were found to depend heavily on the operational environments and sample processing history.

The hydrothermal syntheses of the alkali metal molybdenum bronzes from starting solids (H{sub x}MoO{sub 3}) with structural affinities to the desired products were investigated. Single-phase potassium blue and red bronzes were prepared by the hydrothermal treatments at around 430K, and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, and SEM. The formation processes of these two bronzes during the hydrothermal treatments were found to differ. The blue bronze was formed by a structure-inheriting solid-state route from H{sub x}MoO{sub 3} with x<0.3, whereas the red bronze was formed for x>0.3 through a solution dissolution/deposition route via the formation of MoO{sub 3}+MoO{sub 2}.

The authors reinvestigated the effect of electrolyte conductivity on the magnitude of electron currents in metal-metal-electrolyte (MOE) systems. In summary, the findings reported indicate that electron currents controlled by processes in the oxide bulk flow across the oxide in a MOE system. Hence, if the current through the oxide is lower than the limiting injection current, then, whatever the mechanism involved, the current in a MOE system should not depend on the electrolyte properties; this has been confirmed by the results presented. Thus, a study into the electron conduction of MOE systems with an AOF having a wide forbidden band cannot yield information about the mechanism responsible for the injection of charge carriers at the oxide/electrolyte interface.

Dye-sensitized nanocrystalline solar cells are presently under intensive investigation, as they offer an attractive alternative to conventional p--n junction devices. Solid-state versions have been described where the electrolyte present in the pores of the malodorous oxide film is replaced by a large band gap p-type semiconductor. In this way, a solid-state heterojunction of very large contact area is formed. Light is absorbed by the dye that is located at the interface. Upon excitation, the dye injects electrons into the conduction band of the oxide and is regenerated by hole injection into the p-type conductor. High incident photon-to-electric current conversion efficiencies have been achieved recently with a cell consisting of a dye-derivatized mesoporous TiO{sub 2} film contacted by a new organic hole conductor. The great advantage of such systems with regard to conventional p--n junctions is that only majority carriers are involved in the photoelectric conversion process. Moreover, these are generated by the dye precisely at the site of the junction where the electric field is maximal, enhancing charge separation. Photoelectric conversion by conventional solar cells involves minority carriers whose lifetime is restricted due to recombination. As they are generated throughout the semiconductor and away from the junction, expensive high-purity materials are required in order to maintain the minority carrier diffusion length at a level where current losses are avoided. While the dynamics of photoinduced redo processes in photoelectrochemical systems have been studied in great detail, little is known about the electron-transfer dynamics in solid-state sensitized junctions. Here the authors report for the first time on the direct observation of photoinduced, interfacial charge separation across a dye-sensitized solid-state heterojunction by means of picosecond transient absorption laser spectroscopy.

We develop a novel nanocomposite electrolyte, consisting of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) and erbia-stabilized bismuth oxide (ESB). The 20 mol% ESB-incorporated YSZ composite (20ESB-YSZ) achieves the high density (>97%) at the low sintering temperature of 800 °C. The microstructural analysis of 20ESB-YSZ reveals the characteristic nanocomposite structure of the highly percolated ESB phase at the YSZ grain boundaries (a few ∼ nm thick). The ionic conductivity of 20ESB-YSZ is increased by 5 times compared to that of the conventional YSZ due to the fast oxygen ion transport along the ESB phase. Moreover, this high conductivity is maintained up to 580 h, indicating high stability of the ESB-YSZ nanocomposite. In addition, the oxygen reduction reaction at the composite electrolyte/cathode interface is effectively enhanced (∼70%) at the temperature below 650 °C, mainly due to the fast dissociative oxygen adsorption on the ESB surface as well as the rapid oxygen ion incorporation into the ESB lattice. Thus, we believe this ESB-YSZ nanocomposite is a promising electrolyte for high performance solid oxide fuel cells at reduced temperatures.

Electrochemical performance of spinel LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 (LNMO) at elevated temperature is improved by solid-stateelectrolyte Li2O-Al2O3-TiO2-P2O5 (LATP) coating. Crystallinity and thickness of coatings are controlled by adjusting the coating process at two different temperatures (550 and 650 °C). 2.0 wt.% LATP-modified LNMO cathode materials obtained at 650 °C exhibits remarkably promoted electrochemical performance compared to that of the pristine one in terms of cycling and rate ability at 55 °C. The enhanced performance of the surface-modified samples can be accounted for the suppressed side reactions between the cathode materials and electrolyte solution. What is more important is that LATP cannot only protect the active materials from electrolyte solution but also improve Li+ mobility. The higher crystallinity of glass-ceramic LATP coating layer with thinner thickness implies more unobstructed, stable and shorter diffusion path of Li+ transport. It is found that the coating process is in favor of the disordered to ordered phase transition, implying that the heating process of coating plays a role of anneal as well.

An all-solid-state lithium-ion battery (ASSB) using non-flammable solid electrolytes is a candidate for a next-generation battery. Although the excellent cycle performance and its high energy density are suggested in the literature, a practical size battery has not been appeared yet. In this paper, we have adopted a sulfide based electrolyte, Li2S-P2S5 (80:20 mol%) to a rocking chair type lithium ion battery. The electrochemical cell consists of a Li2O-ZrO2 coated LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA) cathode, an artificial graphite anode and the sulfide based electrolyte without any organic and inorganic liquids. The cathode charge transfer resistance is significantly reduced by the Li2O-ZrO2 coating. The total cell resistance of the Li2O-ZrO2 (LZO) coated NCA adopted cell is approximately one quarter of non-treated one. A standard type single cell with the nominal capacity of 100 mAh at 25 °C is fabricated by wet printing process, and its capacity retention is approximately 80% at 100 cycles. Also, a 1 Ah class battery was constructed by stacking the single cells, and demonstrated.

Electrolytic - usually referred to as electrochemical - exfoliation of graphite in water under anodic potential holds enormous promise as a simple, green and high-yield method for the mass production of graphene, but currently suffers from several drawbacks that hinder its widespread adoption, one of the most critical being the oxidation and subsequent structural degradation of the carbon lattice that is usually associated with such a production process. To overcome this and other limitations, we introduce and implement the concept of multifunctional electrolytes. The latter are amphiphilic anions (mostly polyaromatic hydrocarbons appended with sulfonate groups) that play different relevant roles as (1) an intercalating electrolyte to trigger exfoliation of graphite into graphene flakes, (2) a dispersant to afford stable aqueous colloidal suspensions of the flakes suitable for further use, (3) a sacrificial agent to prevent graphene oxidation during exfoliation and (4) a linker to promote nanoparticle anchoring on the graphene flakes, yielding functional hybrids. The implementation of this strategy with some selected amphiphiles even furnishes anodically exfoliated graphenes of a quality similar to that of flakes produced by direct, ultrasound- or shear-induced exfoliation of graphite in the liquid phase (i.e., almost oxide- and defect-free). These high quality materials were used for the preparation of catalytically efficient graphene-Pt nanoparticle hybrids, as demonstrated by model reactions (reduction of nitroarenes). The multifunctional performance of these electrolytes is also discussed and rationalized, and a mechanistic picture of their oxidation-preventing ability is proposed. Overall, the present results open the prospect of anodic exfoliation as a competitive method for the production of very high quality graphene flakes. PMID:26782137

In order to improve the performance of all-solid-state batteries, 78Li2S·22P2S5 glass-ceramics with an enhanced ionic conductivity of 8.5×10-4 S cm-1 were developed using a two-step heat treatment after mechanical milling. The two-step heat treatment process consists of a nucleation step at 160°C and a crystal growth step at 230°C, where the nucleation temperature was determined using previously performed thermal analyses. Moreover, the wet mixing method, which is identified as an effective method of obtaining more homogeneous distributions of composite particles, was applied in order to prepare the composite cathode. As a result, the cell prepared using the wet mixing method exhibited significantly improved capacity retention.

Plasma electrolyticoxidation (PEO) is a common means for the surface modification of light metals. However, PEO of magnesium substrates in dilute electrolytes generally leads to the formation of coatings consisting of unfavorable MgO magnesium oxide. By incorporation of electrolyte components, the phase constitution of the oxide coatings can be modified. Coatings consisting exclusively of MgAl2O4 magnesium-aluminum spinel are produced by PEO in an electrolyte containing hydroxide, aluminate, and phosphate anions. The hardness of the coatings is 3.5 GPa on Martens scale on average. Compared to the bare substrate, the coatings reduce the corrosion current density in dilute sodium chloride solution by approx. one order of magnitude and slightly shift the corrosion potential toward more noble values.

This proceedings volume includes most of the invited and contributed papers presented as Symposium U, SolidState Ionics, at the 1992 MRS Fall meeting in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. The Symposium covered material aspects of solidstate ionics, theory of ion transfer in solids, ionically and electronically conductive polymers and their application in solidstate devices, and various in-situ and ex-situ techniques for materials characterization. The first part of this proceedings volume deals with physics and chemistry of insertion compounds and application of these in advanced solidstate batteries. The optical and electrochemical properties of insertion compounds are also presented. The second part of the proceedings deals with ionic and electronic conductive polymers. A new class of rubbery phase polymer electrolytes and their structure-conductivity relationship are presented. Physical and chemical properties of polymer electrolytes and electrodes and their application in solidstate devices are presented.

Reducing the osseointegration time for biomedical titanium implants in surgical patients is an important goal. However, a huge controversy exists over the effectiveness of osseointegration of the surface layer by plasma electrolyticoxidation (PEO), which is a widely favored surface modification for titanium-based implants. In this study, various surface coatings, including anatase-TiO2 (A-TiO2 ), rutile-TiO2 (R-TiO2 ), hydroxyapatite (HAp), strontium-containing hydroxyapatite (Sr-HAp), and dual-phase HAp-TiO2 were synthesized on titanium implants by PEO. A comparative study of osseointegration performance (both in vitro and in vivo) and bone/implant adhesion strength conducted using push-out thrust tests were demonstrated. The in vitro experimental test results agree strongly with the in vivo test results: the dual-phase HAp-TiO2 coating exhibits the superior cell adhesion and differentiation condition among all of the coatings in the in vitro tests and therefore has the highest push-out bonding strength of 5.37 MPa after 12 wk of implantation in the in vivo test. The HAp-containing coatings benefit from its bioactivity and therefore perform the others in terms of long-term osteocyte growth (from the in vitro results) and the extent of osseointegration (from the in vivo results). The dual-phase HAp-TiO2 coating provides the advantages of both the bioactive HAp and structural enhancement by the TiO2 , effectively promoting osseointegration. PMID:23529975

Defects and Flaws control the structural and functional property of ceramics. In determining the reliability and lifetime of ceramics structures it is very important to quantify the crack growth behavior of the ceramics. In addition, because of the high variability of the strength and the relatively low toughness of ceramics, a statistical design approach is necessary. The statistical nature of the strength of ceramics is currently well recognized, and is usually accounted for by utilizing Weibull or similar statistical distributions. Design tools such as CARES using a combination of strength measurements, stress analysis, and statistics are available and reasonably well developed. These design codes also incorporate material data such as elastic constants as well as flaw distributions and time-dependent properties. The fast fracture reliability for ceramics is often different from their time-dependent reliability. Further confounding the design complexity, the time-dependent reliability varies with the environment/temperature/stress combination. Therefore, it becomes important to be able to accurately determine the behavior of ceramics under simulated application conditions to provide a better prediction of the lifetime and reliability for a given component. In the present study, Yttria stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) of 9.6 mol% Yttria composition was procured in the form of tubes of length 100 mm. The composition is of interest as tubular electrolytes for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells. Rings cut from the tubes were characterized for microstructure, phase stability, mechanical strength (Weibull modulus) and fracture mechanisms. The strength at operating condition of SOFCs (1000 C) decreased to 95 MPa as compared to room temperature strength of 230 MPa. However, the Weibull modulus remains relatively unchanged. Slow crack growth (SCG) parameter, n = 17 evaluated at room temperature in air was representative of well studied brittle materials. Based on the results, further work

Sol-gel cerium - titanium oxide layers present potential application as transparent counter-electrode (ion storage layer) in electrochromic windows and mirrors using lithium conducting electrolyte and W03 electrochromic coating. The precursor sol, prepared by mixing Ti(OPri)4 and Ce(N03)6 (NH4)2 in ethanol, is initially dark red and becomes transparent after a few days aging indicating the presence of Ce3 complexes. The layers have been obtained by dip coating technique and heat treated at 4509C during 15 minutes.They have been characterized by XRD, SIMS, optical absorption and electrochemical techniques; it is shown that the electrochemical reaction corresponds to a reversible insertion-extraction oflithium ions within a Ti02 amorphous film containing small Ce02 crystallites. At low sweep frequencies the process is controlled by a diffusion mechanism (DLi ~= 6.4 lOl2cm2/s at 259C). Characterizations of an all solidstate electrochromic window/glass/JTO/ W03/ POE-Li N (502 CF3)2 1 Ti02 - Ce02 I ITO I glass I are also presented.

Spinel lithium manganese oxide, LiMn2O4, is a promising cathode for lithium ion battery in large-scale applications, because it possesses many advantages compared with currently used layered lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2) and olivine phosphate (LiFePO4), including naturally abundant resource, environmental friendliness and high and long work potential plateau. Its poor cyclability under high temperature, however, limits its application. In this work, we report a significant cyclability improvement of LiMn2O4 under elevated temperature by using dimethyl phenylphonite (DMPP) as an electrolyte additive. Charge/discharge tests demonstrate that the application of 0.5 wt.% DMPP yields a capacity retention improvement from 16% to 82% for LiMn2O4 after 200 cycles under 55 °C at 1 C (1C = 148 mAh g-1) between 3 and 4.5 V. Electrochemical and physical characterizations indicate that DMPP is electrochemically oxidized at the potential lower than that for lithium extraction, forming a protective cathode interphase on LiMn2O4, which suppresses the electrolyte decomposition and prevents LiMn2O4 from crystal destruction.

A solidstate electrochemical sensor has been developed for hydrogen leak detection in ambient air. The sensor uses an yttria-stabilized electrolyte with a tin-doped indium oxide sensing electrode and a Pt reference electrode. Excellent sensitivity, and response time of one second or less, are reported for hydrogen gas over the concentration range of 0.03 to 5.5% in air. Cross-sensitivity to relative humidity and to CO{sub 2} are shown to be low. The response to methane, a potentially significant source of interference for such a sensor, is significantly less than that for hydrogen. The sensor shows good reproducibility and was unaffected by thermal cycling over the course of this investigation. The effects of sensing electrode thickness and thermal aging are also reported, and the sensing mechanism is discussed. The sensor is intended for use in vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells and hydrogen internal combustion engines. Those vehicles will use and/or store significant quantities of hydrogen, and will require safety sensor for monitoring potential hydrogen leakage in order to ensure passenger safety.

A mechanically operable solidstate switch suited for use in achieving a variable circuit-switching function is described. This switch is characterized by an annular array of photoresponsive switching devices, disposed in communication with an included source of radiation, and a plurality of interchangeable, mechanically operable interrupter disks. Each disk has a predetermined pattern of transparent and opaque portions. Operative displacement of each disk serves to make and break selected electrical circuits through the photo responsive devices of said array.

A strategy for "Solid-State" Nuclear Power is proposed to guide development of technologies and systems into the second 50 years of nuclear spaceflight. The strategy emphasizes a simple and highly integrated system architecture with few moving parts or fluid loops; the leverage of modern advances in materials, manufacturing, semiconductors, microelectromechanical and nanotechnology devices; and the targeted advancement of high temperature nuclear fuels, materials and static power conversion to enable high performance from simple system topologies.

Solid-state reactions that occur in drug substances and formulations include solid-state phase transformations, dehydration/desolvation, and chemical reactions. Chemical reactivity is the focus of this chapter. Of particular interest are cases where the drug-substance may be unstable or react with excipients in the formulation. Water absorption can enhance molecular mobility of solids and lead to solid-state reactivity. Mobility can be measured using various methods including glass transition (T(g)) measurements, solid-state NMR, and X-ray crystallography. Solid-state reactions of drug substances can include oxidation, cyclization, hydrolysis, and deamidation. Oxidation studies of vitamin A, peptides (DL-Ala-DL-Met, N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe methyl ester, and Met-enkaphalin acetate salt), and steroids (hydrocortisone and prednisolone derivatives) are discussed. Cyclization reactions of crystalline and amorphous angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (spirapril hydrochloride, quinapril hydrochloride, and moexipril) are presented which investigate mobility and chemical reactivity. Examples of drug-excipient interactions, such as transacylation, the Maillard browning reaction, and acid base reactions are discussed for a variety of compounds including aspirin, fluoxitine, and ibuprofen. Once solid-state reactions are understood in a pharmaceutical system, the necessary steps can be taken to prevent reactivity and improve the stability of drug substances and products. PMID:11325479

The formation of anodic oxide films (AOFs) on valve metals in electrolytes with different compositions has received little attention. Earlier investigations dealt mainly with AOF growth and properties in aqueous solutions of mineral and organic acids and salts. Less research was done on electrolytes containing aqueous-organic solvents. An empirically formulated electrolyte with a water/ethylene glycol mixture as the solvent is widely employed in forming the dielectric for semiconductor oxide capacitors (SOCs). The mechanism by which ethylene glycol acts on AOF properties is still not wholly clear. It has been found that AOFs produced in an ethylene glycol electrolyte are bilaminar, with the outer layer being less corrosion-resistant. The degradation resistance and crystalline phase content of AOFs have also been studied. The objective of the present study was to examine the effect of ethylene glycol as solvent on AOF formation on niobium.

A system which includes a solidstate electrochemical cell has been used to study the complex behavior of a vanadium phosphate (VPO) catalyst during hydrocarbon oxidation. Under reaction conditions of high temperature (750 K) and near-atmosphere pressure, the open circuit voltage of the cell is indicative of the oxygen activity in the catalyst. Oxygen activity changes in the catalyst due to changes in flowrate and feed composition have been examined. It was found that as the relative degree of reduction of the catalyst increased, the selectivity to partial oxidation products also increased, while catalytic activity decreased.

Novel cathode, electrolyte and oxygen separation materials are disclosed that operate at intermediate temperatures for use in solid oxide fuel cells and ion transport membranes based on oxides with perovskite related structures and an ordered arrangement of A site cations. The materials have significantly faster oxygen kinetics than in corresponding disordered perovskites.

Plasma electrolyticoxidation (PEO) films on AZ31 magnesium alloys were prepared in alkaline silicate electrolytes (base electrolyte) with the addition of different volume concentrations of CH3OH, which was used to adjust the thickness of the vapor sheath. The compositions, morphologies, and thicknesses of ceramic layers formed with different CH3OH concentrations were determined via X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Corrosion behavior of the oxide films was evaluated in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution using potentiodynamic polarization tests. PEO coatings mainly comprised Mg, MgO, and Mg2SiO4. The addition of CH3OH in base electrolytes affected the thickness, pores diameter, and Mg2SiO4 content in the films. The films formed in the electrolyte containing 12% CH3OH exhibited the highest thickness. The coatings formed in the electrolyte containing different concentrations of CH3OH exhibited similar corrosion resistance. The energy consumption of PEO markedly decreased upon the addition of CH3OH to the electrolytes. The result is helpful for energy saving in the PEO process. supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 21376088), the Project of Production, Education and Research, Guangdong Province and Ministry of Education (Nos. 2012B09100063, 2012A090300015), and Guangzhou Science and Technology Plan Projects of China (No. 2014Y2-00042)

The coordination chemistry of hydrated and solvated vanadium(III), oxovanadium(IV), and dioxovanadium(V) ions in the oxygen-donor solvents water, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and N,N'-dimethylpropyleneurea (DMPU) has been studied in solution by extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and large-angle X-ray scattering (LAXS) and in the solidstate by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and EXAFS. The hydrated vanadium(III) ion has a regular octahedral configuration with a mean V-O bond distance of 1.99 Å. In the hydrated and DMSO-solvated oxovanadium(IV) ions, vanadium binds strongly to an oxo group at ca. 1.6 Å. The solvent molecule trans to the oxo group is very weakly bound, at ca. 2.2 Å, while the remaining four solvent molecules, with a mean V-O bond distance of 2.0 Å, form a plane slightly below the vanadium atom; the mean O═V-O(perp) bond angle is ca. 98°. In the DMPU-solvated oxovanadium(IV) ion, the space-demanding properties of the DMPU molecule leave no solvent molecule in the trans position to the oxo group, which reduces the coordination number to 5. The O═V-O bond angle is consequently much larger, 107°, and the mean V═O and V-O bond distances decrease to 1.58 and 1.97 Å, respectively. The hydrated and DMSO-solvated dioxovanadium(V) ions display a very distorted octahedral configuration with the oxo groups in the cis position with a mean V═O bond distance of 1.6 Å and a O═V═O bond angle of ca. 105°. The solvent molecules trans to the oxo groups are weakly bound, at ca. 2.2 Å, while the remaining two have bond distances of 2.02 Å. The experimental studies of the coordination chemistry of hydrated and solvated vanadium(III,IV,V) ions are complemented by summarizing previously reported crystal structures to yield a comprehensive description of the coordination chemistry of vanadium with oxygen-donor ligands. PMID:22950803

The wetting of metals and oxides by molten carbonate is an important factor affecting the performance of a molten carbonate fuel cell (MCFC). The distribution of the electrolyte among electrodes and matrix in the MCFC is dominated by the pore characteristics and wetting properties of these components. However, data on wetting, especially under load (current passage), are limited. In this study, the behavior of the meniscus at a metal is used to obtain information on wetting and electrochemical reactions. Meniscus height and current were measured under various atmospheres. The contact angle was calculated from the meniscus height. The electrolyte distribution in the MCFC was estimated using contact angles thus obtained in oxidant and reducing atmospheres. The results suggest that upon application of load the electrolyte moves from the anode to the cathode and that capillary effects can worsen the performance of a cell, especially if it is in an unbalanced state of electrolyte filling.

A solid-state transition metal oxide device comprising a plurality of layers having a predisposed orientation including an electrochromic oxide layer. Conductive material including anode and cathode contacts is secured to the device. Coloration is actuated within the electrochromic oxide layer after the application of a predetermined potential between the contacts. The coloration action is adapted to sweep or dynamically extend across the length of the electrochromic oxide layer.

A solid-state transition metal oxide device comprising a plurality of lay having a predisposed orientation including an electrochromic oxide layer. Conductive material including anode and cathode contacts is secured to the device. Coloration is actuated within the electrochromic oxide layer after the application of a predetermined potential between the contacts. The coloration action is adapted to sweep or dynamically extend across the length of the electrochromic oxide layer.

This document is a web site page, and a data sheet about Personal protection (i.e., space suits) presented to the Radiation and Micrometeoroid Mitigation Technology Focus Group meeting. The website describes the work of the PI to improve solidstate personal radiation dosimetry. The data sheet presents work on the active personal radiation detection system that is to provide real-time local radiation exposure information during EVA. Should undue exposure occur, knowledge of the dynamic intensity conditions during the exposure will allow more precise diagnostic assessment of the potential health risk to the exposed individual.

This book is a basic work on the technique variously known as 'nuclear track analysis', 'track-etch technique', or 'solidstate nuclear tract detection'. This has greatly expanded in range, scope and depth since the early 1960's, soon after its discovery, until there is hardly a field now in which it has not found an actual or potential use. Such applications range from archaeology, geology, space physics, medicine and biology to reactor physics and nuclear physics-to name but a few.

A solidstate optical microscope is described wherein wide-field and high-resolution images of an object are produced at a rapid rate by utilizing conventional optics with a charge-coupled photodiode array. Means for scanning in one of two orthogonal directions are provided, while the charge-coupled photodiode array scans in the other orthogonal direction. Illumination light from the object is incident upon the photodiodes, creating packets of electrons (signals) which are representative of the illuminated object. The signals are then processed, stored in a memory, and finally displayed as a video signal.

No melting is present in solid-state welds and the microstructure is therefore very different from the solidification structures found in fusion welds. Improved properties of the weld result from the solid-state metallurgical structure. Solid-state resistance welding therefore has advantages compared to fusion welding processes. Different types of solid-state resistance welds have been developed for several unique applications ranging from small tube closure welds to vessel fabrication welds. Solid-state resistance upset welds have a hot worked microstructure, usually with recrystallization near the mating surfaces. Quality of the weld can be related to the metallographic appearance of the bond line at the mating surfaces. Impurities such as oxidation effect both the appearance of the bond line and weld quality. Microstructural examination of flow lines can provide a remarkably clear picture of the deformation pattern, or upsetting, that occurs during welding. Unusual effects such as multiple interfaces can be clearly seen from microstructural examination. Hardness traverses across metallographic sections are used to relate weld area strength to microstructural characteristics. Solid-state weld and heat-affected zone strengths have been compared to base metal and to fusion weld strengths using hardness data.

No melting is present in solid-state welds and the microstructure is therefore very different from the solidification structures found in fusion welds. Improved properties of the weld result from the solid-state metallurgical structure. Solid-state resistance welding therefore has advantages compared to fusion welding processes. Different types of solid-state resistance welds have been developed for several unique applications ranging from small tube closure welds to vessel fabrication welds. Solid-state resistance upset welds have a hot worked microstructure, usually with recrystallization near the mating surfaces. Quality of the weld can be related to the metallographic appearance of the bond line at the mating surfaces. Impurities such as oxidation effect both the appearance of the bond line and weld quality. Microstructural examination of flow lines can provide a remarkably clear picture of the deformation pattern, or upsetting, that occurs during welding. Unusual effects such as multiple interfaces can be clearly seen from microstructural examination. Hardness traverses across metallographic sections are used to relate weld area strength to microstructural characteristics. Solid-state weld and heat-affected zone strengths have been compared to base metal and to fusion weld strengths using hardness data.

Existing and future solidstate nonvolatile memory technologies are described and evaluated in this report. Solidstate memory technologies can offer size, speed, power, weight, and ruggedness advantages over conventional moving media storage technologoies such as disk or tape. This technology list is a broad sampling of past, present, emerging, and future solidstate memory technologies.

Solidstate gas sensors are widely used to measure the concentrations of gases such as CO, CH_4, C_3H_6, H_2, C_3H8 and O2 The applications of these sensors range from air-to-fuel ratio control in combustion processes including those in automotive engines and industrial furnaces to leakage detection of inflammable and toxic gases in domestic and industrial environments. As the need increases to accurately measure smaller and smaller concentrations, problems such as poor selectivity, stability and response time limit the use of these sensors. In an effort to overcome some of these limitations, a theoretical model of the transient behavior of solidstate gas sensors has been developed. In this presentation, a model for the transient response of an electrochemical gas sensor to gas mixtures containing O2 and one reducing species, such as CO, is discussed. This model accounts for the transport of the reactive species to the sampling electrode, the catalyzed oxidation/reduction reaction of these species and the generation of the resulting electrical signal. The model will be shown to reproduce the results of published steady state models and to agree with experimental steady state and transient data.

Since sensitivity to contamination is one of the verities of solidstate joining, there is a need for assessing contamination of the part(s) to be joined, preferably nondestructively while it can be remedied. As the surfaces that are joined in pinch welds are inaccessible and thus provide a greater challenge, most of the discussion is of the search for the origin and effect of contamination on pinch welding and ways to detect and mitigate it. An example of contamination and the investigation and remediation of such a system is presented. Suggestions are made for techniques for nondestructive evaluation of contamination of surfaces for other solidstate welds as well as for pinch welds. Surfaces that have good visual access are amenable to inspection by diffuse reflection infrared Fourier transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy. Although other techniques are useful for specific classes of contaminants (such as hydrocarbons), DRIFT can be used most classes of contaminants. Surfaces such as the interior of open tubes or stems that are to be pinch welded can be inspected using infrared reflection spectroscopy. It must be demonstrated whether or not this tool can detect graphite based contamination, which has been seen in stems. For tubes with one closed end, the technique that should be investigated is emission infrared spectroscopy.

Lite Cycles has developed a new type of eye-safe, range-gated, lidar sensing element based on Solid-state Raman Image Amplification (SSRIA) in a solid-state optical crystal. SSRIA can amplify low-level infrared images with gains greater than 106 with the addition of only quantum-limited noise. The high gains from SSRIA can compensate for low quantum efficiency detectors and can reduce the need for detector cooling. The range-gate of SSRIA is controlled by the pulsewidth of the pump laser and can be as short as 30 - 100 cm for nanosecond pulses and less than 5 mm if picosecond pulses are used. SSRIA results in higher SNR images throughout a broad range of incident light levels, in contrast to the increasing noise factor with reduced gain in image intensified CCDs. A theoretical framework for the optical resolution of SSRIA is presented and it is shown that SSRIA can produce higher resolution than ICCDs. SSRIA is also superior in rejecting unwanted sunlight background, further increasing image SNR, and can be used for real-time optical signal processing. Applications for military use include eye-safe imaging lidars that can be used for autonomous vehicle identification and targeting.

Over the past few years there has been growing interest shown in the rapidly maturing technology of totally solid-state imaging. This paper presents a synopsis of developments made in this field at the Westinghouse ATL facilities with emphasis on row-column organized monolithic arrays of diffused junction phototransistors. The complete processing sequence applicable to the fabrication of modern highdensity arrays is described from wafer ingot preparation to final sensor testing. Special steps found necessary for high yield processing, such as surface etching prior to both sawing and lapping, are discussed along with the rationale behind their adoption. Camera systems built around matrix array photosensors are presented in a historical time-wise progression beginning with the first 50 x 50 element converter developed in 1965 and running through the most recent 400 x 500 element system delivered in 1972. The freedom of mechanical architecture made available to system designers by solid-state array cameras is noted from the description of a bare-chip packaged cubic inch camera. Hybrid scan systems employing one-dimensional line arrays are cited, and the basic tradeoffs to their use are listed. PMID:20119094

The sulfidation of colloidal rock-salt-type MO (M = Fe, Mn and Co) nanocrystals was performed in organic solvents using dissolved elemental sulfur at moderate temperatures. The vacancy defects in these rock-salt-type structures clearly promote complete oxide-sulfide conversion. The conversion products were hollow metal sulfide (pyrrhotite (Fe(1-x)S), Co(1-x)S and α-MnS) nanoparticles. These conversions by sulfidation proceed rapidly, making difficult the isolation of intermediates. The sulfidation intermediates, when the supply of sulfur was insufficient, had interesting structures, in which the metal oxide cores were surrounded by metal sulfide shells or had surfaces that were decorated with metal sulfide islands. Based on the above results, a mechanism of surface nucleation, shell formation, and void formation by diffusion processes is proposed. PMID:21140007

Tantalate materials play a vital role in our high technology society: tantalum capacitors are found in virtually every cell phone. Furthermore, electronic characteristics and the incredibly inert nature of tantalates renders them ideal for applications such as biomedical implants, nuclear waste forms, ferroelectrics, piezoelectrics, photocatalysts and optical coatings. The inert and insoluble nature of tantalates is not fundamentally understood; and furthermore poor solubility renders fabrication of novel or optimized tantalates very difficult. We have developed a soft chemical route to water-soluble tantalum oxide clusters that can serve as both precursors for novel tantalate materials and ideal models for experimental and computational approaches to understanding the unusually inert behavior of tantalates. The water soluble cluster, [Ta6O19]8- is small, highly symmetric, and contains the representative oxygen types of a metal oxide surface, and thus ideally mimics a complex tantalate surface in a simplistic form that can be studied unambiguously. Furthermore; in aqueous solution, these highly charged and super-basic clusters orchestrate surprising acid-base behavior that most likely plays an important role in the inertness of related oxide surfaces. Our unique synthetic approach to the [Ta6O19]8- cluster allowed for unprecedented enrichment with isotopic labels (17O), enabling detailed kinetic and mechanistic studies of the behavior of cluster oxygens, as well as their acid-base behavior. This SAND report is a collection of two publications that resulted from these efforts.

The aim of this work is to discuss the growth characteristics and corrosion behavior of the prepared ceramic coatings on titanium by plasma electrolyticoxidation (PEO) technique in different electrolytes. PEO process was carried out on titanium under constant voltage regime using a pulse power supply. Three kinds of electrolytes, phosphate, silicate and borate based solutions, were used to evaluate the influence of electrolyte composition on the structure, surface morphology, phase composition and corrosion behavior of prepared ceramic oxide films (titania). The phase composition of the coatings was investigated by X-ray diffraction. Scanning electron microscopy was employed to evaluate the growth and surface morphology of coatings. Elements of coatings were investigated with energy dispersive spectrometer. Corrosion behavior of the coatings was also examined by potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The spark voltage of oxide films had a significant effect on the surface morphology, size and homogeneity of micro-pores, thickness and corrosion properties of coatings.

Electrostatic stabilization is reduced in its efficiency in an electrolyte-containing environment. The effect of electrolyte concentration is mostly described as negative factor for dispersion stabilization. Usually, zeta potential and physical stability decrease at increasing electrolyte concentration. The purpose of the present study was to measure the surface properties of nanotubes in aqueous solution of monovalent electrolytes at different concentration. Characteristics such as size distribution, surface chemistry, surface charge, and dispersability in aqueous phase have been identified. Hydrodynamic size and zeta potential in aqueous multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) suspensions were determined at different pH with the desired concentrations of electrolyte of the cationic group (NaCl, KCl, CsCl) and the anionic group (NaClO4). The correlations between the response of the surface functionality of pristine and oxidized multiwalled carbon nanotubes and electrical double layer (EDL) forming at different ionic environments in the vicinity of a nanotube surface were determined. The nanotube dispersion stabilization was found to be more affected by ion size and pH medium then electrolyte concentration. The data obtained confirms the predominant role of surface reactions. The most stable dispersion of nanotubes was achieved in KCl electrolyte solution at less negative charge of the surface. PMID:27009533

Over the past two years, KLA-Tencor and partners successfully developed and deployed software and hardware tools that increase product yield for High Brightness LED (HBLED) manufacturing and reduce product development and factory ramp times. This report summarizes our development effort and details of how the results of the SolidState Light Program (Falcon) have started to help HBLED manufacturers optimize process control by enabling them to flag and correct identified killer defect conditions at any point of origin in the process manufacturing flow. This constitutes a quantum leap in yield management over current practice. Current practice consists of die dispositioning which is just rejection of bad die at end of process based upon probe tests, loosely assisted by optical in-line monitoring for gross process deficiencies. For the first time, and as a result of our SolidState Lighting Program, our LED manufacturing partners have obtained the software and hardware tools that optimize individual process steps to control killer defects at the point in the processes where they originate. Products developed during our two year program enable optimized inspection strategies for many product lines to minimize cost and maximize yield. The SolidState Lighting Program was structured in three phases: i) the development of advanced imaging modes that achieve clear separation between LED defect types, improves signal to noise and scan rates, and minimizes nuisance defects for both front end and back end inspection tools, ii) the creation of defect source analysis (DSA) software that connect the defect maps from back-end and front-end HBLED manufacturing tools to permit the automatic overlay and traceability of defects between tools and process steps, suppress nuisance defects, and identify the origin of killer defects with process step and conditions, and iii) working with partners (Philips Lumileds) on product wafers, obtain a detailed statistical correlation of automated

One of the obstacles to the commercialisation of fuel cells is the high cost of noble metals, such as platinum, that are used as electrocatalysts. Silver-incorporated nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (Ag/N-rGO) has been synthesised through the simple annealing of metal salts with graphene oxide and melamine. The presence of silver and nitrogen atoms in Ag/N-rGO was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. Both the XPS and EDS results showed a higher Ag loading on the N-rGO surface compared with the rGO surface. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images revealed a wide size distribution of Ag particles loaded on the N-rGO surface. Electrochemical results indicate that N-rGO is a better support for Ag than rGO. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) results indicate that Ag/N-rGO is a potential ORR catalyst candidate in alkaline as it exhibited an onset potential of -0.15 V vs. Ag/AgCl and a limiting diffusion current density of -4.38 mA cm-2 with four electron pathways. In addition, Ag/N-rGO also showed better methanol tolerance than Pt/C.

The authors have developed composite polymer electrodes for use in all solid-state batteries in combination with Li. The composite is formed from water soluble polypyrrole which is combined with the solid polymer electrolyte polyethylene oxide. The composite electrode shows enhanced coulombic capacity as compared to an electrode composed only of the electroactive material, polypyrrole. Coulombic efficiency is good (90-95%) and energy efficiency is acceptable (80-85%) in galvanostatic studies. Charge retention is rather poor due to self-discharge. They have obtained proof that the electroactivity is due to polypyrrole, through the use of in situ spectroelectrochemical studies. They have characterized the composite electrode using scanning electron microscopy and conductive measurements.

Based on our previous studies on the rf reactive sputtered nickel oxide films with nanostructure and its electrochromism which was supposed that electrochromic effect of the films is attributed to the reversible change of the non-stoichiometry in the nanocrystalline grain boundaries and interfaces due to the injection and ejection of Li+ ions, a prototype of all-solid-state NiO/WO3 complementary electrochromic device using LixTaOy thin film as inorganic electrolyte was designed and prepared. The results indicate that the solar reflectance of the device could be modulated from 0.15 in colored state to 0.60 in bleached state with excellent cyclic reversibility, durability and high response speed (less than 0.3 sec from colored state to bleached state).

Solid oxide fuel cells produce electricity at very high efficiency and have very low to negligible emissions, making them an attractive option for power generation for electric utilities. However, conventional SOFC`s are operated at 1000{degrees}C or more in order to attain reasonable power density. The high operating temperature of SOFC`s leads to complex materials problems which have been difficult to solve in a cost-effective manner. Accordingly, there is much interest in reducing the operating temperature of SOFC`s while still maintaining the power densities achieved at high temperatures. There are several approaches to reduced temperature operation including alternative solid electrolytes having higher ionic conductivity than yttria stabilized zirconia, thin solid electrolyte membranes, and improved electrode materials. Given the proven reliability of zirconia-based electrolytes (YSZ) in long-term SOFC tests, the use of stabilized zirconia electrolytes in reduced temperature fuel cells is a logical choice. In order to avoid compromising power density at intermediate temperatures, the thickness of the YSZ electrolyte must be reduced from that in conventional cells (100 to 200 {mu}m) to approximately 4 to 10 {mu}m. There are a number of approaches for depositing thin ceramic films onto porous supports including chemical vapor deposition/electrochemical vapor deposition, sol-gel deposition, sputter deposition, etc. In this paper we describe an inexpensive approach involving the use of colloidal dispersions of polycrystalline electrolyte for depositing 4 to 10 {mu}m electrolyte films onto porous electrode supports in a single deposition step. This technique leads to highly dense, conductive, electrolyte films which exhibit near theoretical open circuit voltages in H{sub 2}/air fuel cells. These electrolyte films exhibit bulk ionic conductivity, and may see application in reduced temperature SOFC`s, gas separation membranes, and fast response sensors.

The resistances of magnesium alloys to wear, friction and corrosion can be effectively improved by depositing coatings on their surfaces. However, the coatings can also reduce the heat transfer from the coated components to the surroundings (e.g., coated cylinder bores for internal combustion of engine blocks). In this paper, nanostructured magnesium oxides were produced by plasma electrolyticoxidation (PEO) process on the magnesium alloy AJ62 under different current densities. The guarded comparative heat flow method was adopted to measure the thermal conductivities of such coatings which possess gradient nanoscale grain sizes. The aim of the paper is to explore how the current density in the PEO process affects the thermal conductivity of the nanostructured magnesium coatings. The experimental results show that, as the current density rises from 4 to 20 A/mm2, the thermal conductivity has a slight increase from 0.94 to 1.21 W/m x K, which is significantly smaller than that of the corresponding bulk magnesium oxide materials (29.4 W/m x K). This mostly attributed to the variation of the nanoscale grain sizes of the PEO coatings. PMID:25942897

A bilayer electrolyte consisting of acceptor-doped ceria (on the fuel/reducing side) and cubic-stabilized bismuth oxide (on the oxidizing side) was developed. The bilayer electrolyte that was developed showed significant improvement in open-circuit potential versus a typical ceria based SOFC. Moreover, the OCP of the bilayer cells increased as the thickness of the bismuth oxide layer increased relative to the ceria layer. Thereby, verifying the bilayer concept. Although, because of the absence of a suitable cathode (a problem we are still working assiduously to solve), we were unable to obtain power density curves, our modeling work predicts a reduction in electrolyte area specific resistance of two orders of magnitude over cubic-stabilized zirconia and projects a maximum power density of 9 W/m{sup 2} at 800 C and 0.09 W/m{sup 2} at 500 C. Towards the development of the bilayer electrolyte other significant strides were made. Among these were, first, the development of a, bismuth oxide based, oxide ion conductor with the highest conductivity (0.56 S/cm at 800 C and 0.043 S/cm at 500 C) known to date. Second, a physical model of the defect transport mechanisms and the driving forces for the ordering phenomena in bismuth oxide and other fluorite systems was developed. Third, a model for point defect transport in oxide mixed ionic-electronic conductors was developed, without the typical assumption of a uniform distribution of ions and including the effect of variable loads on the transport properties of an SOFC (with either a single or bilayer electrolyte).

Monitoring of environmental radioactivity is of interest both within the geosciences community and to groups such as the emergency services who need to quickly assess the safety of an environment. Here we present a light weight and inexpensive detector based on solidstate technology, that can be easily worn or carried, or used disposably. It responds to gamma radiation and other radioactive particles such as those from space weather and cosmic rays. Unlike traditional technology such as the Geiger counter, the detector can operate at low voltage without the need for step-up circuitry, and it can also distinguish different particle energies. It is suitable for monitoring background radioactivity from cosmic rays and radon as well as responding to higher radioactivity levels. We anticipate that the device will have a broad range of end users, from terrestrial to space applications.

A compact laser producing green wavelength with a volume of < 8 cm3 and a weight of < 80 g finds its application in many fields from military to space based. We built a small solid-state laser that produces 1 mJ of energy per-pulse at a 1 - 20 Hz repetition rate. The laser is passively Q-switched using a Cr4+:YAG saturable absorber to generate pulses <10 ns. A nonlinear crystal doubles the frequency to generate light at 523 nm. The laser is side-pumped by a single bar diode laser using a unique pump cavity to homogenize the pump intensity in the laser rod. The laser components can easily be modified to change the output wavelength from UV to mid IR.

Available solidstate photomultiplier (SSPM) detectors were tested under low-background, low temperature conditions to determine the conditions producing optimal sensitivity in a space-based astronomy system such as a liquid cooled helium telescope in orbit. Detector temperatures varied between 6 and 9 K, with background flux ranging from 10 to the 13th power to less than 10 to the 6th power photons/square cm-s. Measured parameters included quantum efficiency, noise, dark current, and spectral response. Experimental data were reduced, analyzed, and combined with existing data to build the SSPM data base included herein. The results were compared to analytical models of SSPM performance where appropriate models existed. Analytical models presented here were developed to be as consistent with the data base as practicable. Significant differences between the theory and data are described. Some models were developed or updated as a result of this study.

The increasing miniaturization of electronic devices requires the miniaturization of devices that provide energy to them. Autonomous devices of reduced energy consumption are increasingly common and they have benefited from energy harvesting techniques. However, these devices often have peak power consumption, requiring storage of energy.This chapter presents the fabrication and characterization of thin-films for solid-state lithium battery. The solid-state batteries stand out for the possibility of all materials being solid and therefore ideal for microelectronics fabrication techniques. Lithium batteries are composed primarily of three materials, the cathode, the electrolyte and the anode. The positive electrode (cathode) and negative (anode) have high electrical conductivity and capacity for extraction and insertion of lithium ions. The electrolyte's main features are the high ionic conductivity and high electrical resistivity. The materials chosen for the battery are lithium cobalt oxide (cathode), lithium phosphorus oxynitride (electrolyte), and metallic lithium (anode).The lithium cobalt oxide cathode (LiCoO2) was deposited by RF sputtering and characterized using the XRD, EDX, SEM techniques, and electrical resistivity. Fully crystalline {LiCoO}2 was achieved with an annealing of 65{0}° in vacuum for 2 h. Electrical resistivity of 3.7 Ω \\cdot mm was achieved.The lithium phosphorus oxynitride electrolyte (LIPON) was deposited by RF sputtering and characterized using the techniques EDX, SEM, ionic conductivity, DSC, and TGA. Ionic conductivity of 6.3 × 1{0}^{-7} S \\cdot {cm}^{-1} for a temperature of 2{6}°C was measured. The thermal stability of LIPON up to 40{0}°C was also proved.The metallic lithium anode (Li) was deposited by thermal evaporation and its electrical resistance measured at four points during the deposition. Resistance of about 3. 5 Ω was measured for a thickness of 3 μm. The oxidation rate of the lithium in contact with the ambient

All-solid-state electrochemical power cells have been fabricated and tested in a continuing effort to develop batteries for instruments for use in environments as hot as 500 C. Batteries of this type are needed for exploration of Venus, and could be used on Earth for such applications as measuring physical and chemical conditions in geothermal and oil wells, processing furnaces, and combustion engines. In the state-of-the-art predecessors of the present solid-state power cells, fully packaged molten eutectic salts are used as electrolytes. The molten-salt-based cells can be susceptible to significant amounts of self-discharge and corrosion when used for extended times at elevated temperatures. In contrast, all-solid-state cells such as the present ones are expected to be capable of operating for many days at temperatures up to 500 C, without significant self-discharge. The solid-state cell described here includes a cathode made of FeS2, an electrolyte consisting of a crystalline solid solution of equimolar amounts of Li3PO4 and Li4SiO4, and an anode made of an alloy of Li and Si (see figure). The starting material for making the solid electrolyte is a stoichiometric mixture of Li3PO4, SiO2, and Li3CO2. This mixture is ball-milled, then calcined for two hours at a temperature of 1,100 C, then placed in a die atop the cathode material. Next, the layers in the die are squeezed together at a pressure between 60 and 120 MPa for one hour at a temperature of 600 C to form a unitary structure comprising the solid electrolyte and cathode bonded together. Finally, the lithium-alloy anode is pressure-bonded to the solid electrolyte layer, using an intermediate layer of pure lithium. In one test of a cell of this type, a discharge rate of about 1 mA per gram of cathode material was sustained for 72 hours at a temperature of about 460 C. This is about three times the discharge rate required to support some of the longer duration Venus-exploration mission scenarios.

Recent efforts in our laboratories have concentrated on the development of an all solidstate gas sensor, by combining solid electrolyte (ion exchange membrane) technology with advanced thin film deposition processes. With the proper bias magnitude and polarity these miniature electro-chemical,cells show remarkable current responses for many common pollution gases. Current activity is now focused on complementing a multiple array (matrix) of these solidstate sensors, with a digital electronic scanner device possessing "scan-compare-identify-alarm: capability. This innovative approach to multi-component pollutant gas analysis may indeed be the advanced prototype for the "third generation" class of pollution analysis instrumentation so urgently needed in the decade ahead.

Epitaxial indium tin oxide films have been grown on both LaAlO3 and yttria-stabilized zirconia substrates using RF magnetron sputtering. Electrolyte gating causes a large change in the film resistance that occurs immediately after the gate voltage is applied, and shows no hysteresis during the charging/discharging processes. When two devices are patterned next to one another and the first one gated through an electrolyte, the second one shows no changes in conductance, in contrast to what happens in materials (like tungsten oxide) susceptible to ionic electromigration and intercalation. These findings indicate that electrolyte gating in indium tin oxide triggers a pure electronic process (electron depletion or accumulation, depending on the polarity of the gate voltage), with no electrochemical reactions involved. Electron accumulation occurs in a very thin layer near the film surface, which becomes highly conductive. These results contribute to our understanding of the electrolyte gating mechanism in complex oxides and may be relevant for applications of electric double layer transistor devices.

Epitaxial indium tin oxide films have been grown on both LaAlO3 and yttria-stabilized zirconia substrates using RF magnetron sputtering. Electrolyte gating causes a large change in the film resistance that occurs immediately after the gate voltage is applied, and shows no hysteresis during the charging/discharging processes. When two devices are patterned next to one another and the first one gated through an electrolyte, the second one shows no changes in conductance, in contrast to what happens in materials (like tungsten oxide) susceptible to ionic electromigration and intercalation. These findings indicate that electrolyte gating in indium tin oxide triggers a puremore » electronic process (electron depletion or accumulation, depending on the polarity of the gate voltage), with no electrochemical reactions involved. Electron accumulation occurs in a very thin layer near the film surface, which becomes highly conductive. These results contribute to our understanding of the electrolyte gating mechanism in complex oxides and may be relevant for applications of electric double layer transistor devices.« less

Epitaxial indium tin oxide films have been grown on both LaAlO3 and yttria-stabilized zirconia substrates using RF magnetron sputtering. Electrolyte gating causes a large change in the film resistance that occurs immediately after the gate voltage is applied, and shows no hysteresis during the charging/discharging processes. When two devices are patterned next to one another and the first one gated through an electrolyte, the second one shows no changes in conductance, in contrast to what happens in materials (like tungsten oxide) susceptible to ionic electromigration and intercalation. These findings indicate that electrolyte gating in indium tin oxide triggers a pure electronic process (electron depletion or accumulation, depending on the polarity of the gate voltage), with no electrochemical reactions involved. Electron accumulation occurs in a very thin layer near the film surface, which becomes highly conductive. These results contribute to our understanding of the electrolyte gating mechanism in complex oxides and may be relevant for applications of electric double layer transistor devices. PMID:27506371

Epitaxial indium tin oxide films have been grown on both LaAlO3 and yttria-stabilized zirconia substrates using RF magnetron sputtering. Electrolyte gating causes a large change in the film resistance that occurs immediately after the gate voltage is applied, and shows no hysteresis during the charging/discharging processes. When two devices are patterned next to one another and the first one gated through an electrolyte, the second one shows no changes in conductance, in contrast to what happens in materials (like tungsten oxide) susceptible to ionic electromigration and intercalation. These findings indicate that electrolyte gating in indium tin oxide triggers a pure electronic process (electron depletion or accumulation, depending on the polarity of the gate voltage), with no electrochemical reactions involved. Electron accumulation occurs in a very thin layer near the film surface, which becomes highly conductive. These results contribute to our understanding of the electrolyte gating mechanism in complex oxides and may be relevant for applications of electric double layer transistor devices. PMID:27506371

Plasma electrolyticoxidation technique was used to coat ZK60 magnesium alloy in a silicate-based electrolyte. Effects of oxidation time on the morphology, phase structure, and corrosion resistance of the resulting coatings were systematically investigated by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectrometry, x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and potentiodynamic polarization. The main components of the inner and the outer coating layers were MgO and Mg2SiO4, respectively. It was also found that the oxidation time has a significant impact on the corrosion resistance properties of the coatings. The coating obtained within the oxidation time of 360 s exhibited a corrosion current of 7.6 × 10-8 A/cm2 in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution, which decreased significantly when comparing with the pristine magnesium alloy.

In an attempt to enhance the potential of gamma titanium aluminide intermetallic alloy as a biomaterial, its surface characteristics were successfully modified using a calcium and phosphorous rich electrolyte through the application of plasma electrolyticoxidation. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy were used to characterize the morphology and topographical features of the resulting coating while X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive spectroscopy were used to determine the surface oxide composition. The mechanical properties of the surface coating were characterized by nanoindentation studies. The results observed show the formation of a submicron scale porous structure and a concomitant increase in the surface roughness. The surface oxide was composed of rutile and anatase phases. Composition gradients of Ca and P were also present which can possibly enhance the biomaterial application potential of this treated surface. Nanoindentation measurements indicate the formation of a fairly compact oxide during the process. PMID:24259371

A new soft chemical route to [Ta6O19]8- has been developed by the dissolution of [Ta(O2)4]3- in conditions alkaline enough to arrest formation of Ta2O5, followed by [VO4]3--catalyzed decomposition of the peroxide ligands and crystallization of the salt. An average of bond lengths and angles from isostructural salts of [Ta6O19]8- and [Nb6O19]8- indicate there is an increase in terminal M(eta=O) bond lengths and M-micro2-O-M angles and a decrease in bridging micro2-O-M bond lengths in [Ta6O19]8-, although the central micro6-O-M bond lengths are identical within experimental error. Two new structures of Na7[HNb6O19].15H2O () and Na8[Ta6O19].15H2O () are exemplary of the fact that protonated micro2-OH are observed exclusively in the niobates. In these structures, the metal-oxide framework, seven sodium atoms, and all fifteen water molecules are located in identical unit cell positions, but in an eighth charge-balancing sodium is located in close proximity to the protonated micro2-OH in . Differences in the basicity of Nb(v)- and Ta(v)-bound oxygen atoms are also manifested at the surfaces of 17O-enriched powders of Nb2O5 and Ta2O5. Oxygen exchange at the surface of these materials readily takes place at both terminal and bridging sites in Nb2O5 but only at terminal sites in Ta2O5. PMID:17928908

Fe3O4@carbon nanosheet composites were synthesized using ammonium ferric citrate as the Fe3O4/carbon precursor and graphene oxide as the structure-directing agent under a hydrothermal process. The surface chemical compositions, pore structures, and morphology of the composite were analyzed and characterized by nitrogen adsorption isotherms, TG analysis, FT-IR, X-ray photoelectron energy spectrum, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The composites showed excellent specific capacitance of 586 F/g, 340 F/g at 0.5 A/g and 10 A/g. The all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor device assembled using carbon nanosheets in situ embedded Fe3O4 composite and porous carbon showed a largest energy density of 18.3 Wh/kg at power density of 351 W/kg in KOH/PVA gel electrolyte. The synergism of high special surface to volume ratio, mesoporous structure, graphene-based conduction paths, and Fe3O4 nanoparticles provided a high surface area of ion-accessibility, high electric conductivity, and the utmost utilization of Fe3O4 and resulted in excellent specific capacitance, outstanding rate capability and cycling life as all-solid-state supercapacitor electrodes. PMID:27406686

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are the future of energy production in America. They offer great promise as a clean and efficient process for directly converting chemical energy to electricity while providing significant environmental benefits (they produce negligible hydrocarbons, CO, or NO{sub x} and, as a result of their high efficiency, produce about one-third less CO{sub 2} per kilowatt hour than internal combustion engines). Unfortunately, the current SOFC technology, based on a stabilized zirconia electrolyte, must operate in the region of 1000 C to avoid unacceptably high ohmic losses. These high temperatures demand (a) specialized (expensive) materials for the fuel cell interconnects and insulation, (b) time to heat up to the operating temperature and (c) energy input to arrive at the operating temperature. Therefore, if fuel cells could be designed to give a reasonable power output at low to intermediate temperatures tremendous benefits may be accrued. At low temperatures, in particular, it becomes feasible to use ferritic steel for interconnects instead of expensive and brittle ceramic materials such as those based on LaCrO{sub 3}. In addition, sealing the fuel cell becomes easier and more reliable; rapid startup is facilitated; thermal stresses (e.g., those caused by thermal expansion mismatches) are reduced; radiative losses ({approx}T{sup 4}) become minimal; electrode sintering becomes negligible and (due to a smaller thermodynamic penalty) the SOFC operating cycle (heating from ambient) would be more efficient. Combined, all these improvements further result in reduced initial and operating costs. The problem is, at lower temperatures the conductivity of the conventional stabilized zirconia electrolyte decreases to the point where it cannot supply electrical current efficiently to an external load. The primary objectives of the proposed research is to develop a stable high conductivity (> 0.05 S cm{sup -1} at {le} 550 C) electrolyte for lower

Polymer electrolytes have been studied extensively because uniquely they combine ionic conductivity with solid yet flexible mechanical properties, rendering them important for all-solid-state devices including batteries, electrochromic displays and smart windows. For some 30 years, ionic conductivity in polymers was considered to occur only in the amorphous state above Tg. Crystalline polymers were believed to be insulators. This changed with the discovery of Li(+) conductivity in crystalline poly(ethylene oxide)(6):LiAsF(6). However, new crystalline polymer electrolytes have proved elusive, questioning whether the 6:1 complex has particular structural features making it a unique exception to the rule that only amorphous polymers conduct. Here, we demonstrate that ionic conductivity in crystalline polymers is not unique to the 6:1 complex by reporting several new crystalline polymer electrolytes containing different alkali metal salts (Na(+), K(+) and Rb(+)), including the best conductor poly(ethylene oxide)(8):NaAsF(6) discovered so far, with a conductivity 1.5 orders of magnitude higher than poly(ethylene oxide)(6):LiAsF(6). These are the first crystalline polymer electrolytes with a different composition and structures to that of the 6:1 Li(+) complex. PMID:19543313

A solidstate radiative heat pump operable at room temperature (300 K) utilizes a semiconductor having a gap energy in the range of 0.03-0.25 eV and operated reversibly to produce an excess or deficit of change carriers as compared equilibrium. In one form of the invention an infrared semiconductor photodiode is used, with forward or reverse bias, to emit an excess or deficit of infrared radiation. In another form of the invention, a homogenous semiconductor is subjected to orthogonal magnetic and electric fields to emit an excess or deficit of infrared radiation. Three methods of enhancing transmission of radiation the active surface of the semiconductor are disclosed. In one method, an anti-refection layer is coated into the active surface of the semiconductor, the anti-reflection layer having an index of refraction equal to the square root of that of the semiconductor. In the second method, a passive layer is speaced trom the active surface of the semiconductor by a submicron vacuum gap, the passive layer having an index of refractive equal to that of the semiconductor. In the third method, a coupler with a paraboloid reflecting surface surface is in contact with the active surface of the semiconductor, the coupler having an index of refraction about the same as that of the semiconductor.

A solidstate radiative heat pump (10, 50, 70) operable at room temperature (300.degree. K.) utilizes a semiconductor having a gap energy in the range of 0.03-0.25 eV and operated reversibly to produce an excess or deficit of charge carriers as compared to thermal equilibrium. In one form of the invention (10, 70) an infrared semiconductor photodiode (21, 71) is used, with forward or reverse bias, to emit an excess or deficit of infrared radiation. In another form of the invention (50), a homogeneous semiconductor (51) is subjected to orthogonal magnetic and electric fields to emit an excess or deficit of infrared radiation. Three methods of enhancing transmission of radiation through the active surface of the semiconductor are disclosed. In one method, an anti-reflection layer (19) is coated into the active surface (13) of the semiconductor (11), the anti-reflection layer (19) having an index of refraction equal to the square root of that of the semiconductor (11). In the second method, a passive layer (75) is spaced from the active surface (73) of the semiconductor (71) by a submicron vacuum gap, the passive layer having an index of refractive equal to that of the semiconductor. In the third method, a coupler (91) with a paraboloid reflecting surface (92) is in contact with the active surface (13, 53) of the semiconductor (11, 51), the coupler having an index of refraction about the same as that of the semiconductor.

The quantum yield of photoFries rearrangement in a polycarbonate film has been analyzed as a function of temperature and humidity on the basis of previously reported (Koyler and Mann, 1977) experimental data. Results indicate that in the homogeneous amorphous phase, photoFries rearrangement is a concerted process proceeding either from the pi star reversed arrow n singlet, in which case it must be subject to considerable self quenching, or from a triplet, presumably the first triplet since the lifetime of higher triplets is expected to be very short in the solid phase. If the parent excited state is the first triplet, chain scission is possibly an independent process, probably occurring from the pi star reversed arrow n singlet. Evidence of chain scission on photodegradation in the solidstate includes loss of C-O and C-C bond intensities revealed in the Fourier transform infrared spectra, gel permeation chromotography elution profiles of degraded film samples dissolved in CHCl3, and a decrease in tensile strength and T sub g as photodegradation proceeds. Chain scission is apparently inhibited as photoFries products accumulate.

Thin amorphous manganese oxide layers with a thickness of 3-5nm are electrodeposited on a carbon nanotube (CNT) film substrate that has a three-dimensional nanoporous structure (denoted asMnO2/CNT electrode). For the purpose of comparison, manganese oxide films are also electrodeposited on a flat Pt-coated Si wafer substrate (denoted as MnO2 film electrode). The pseudocapacitive properties of the MnO2 film and MnO2/CNT electrodes are examined in both aqueous electrolyte (1.0M KCl) and nonaqueousorganic electrolyte (1.0M LiClO4 in propylene carbonate). While both types of electrode showpseudocapacitive behaviour in the aqueous electrolyte, only the MnO2/CNT electrode does so in the organic electrolyte, due to its high oxide/electrolyte interfacial area and improved electron conduction through the CNT substrate. Compared with the MnO2 film electrode, the MnO2/CNT electrode shows a much higher specific capacitance and better high-rate capability, regardless of the electrolyte used.Use of the organic electrolyte results in a ∼6 times higher specific energy compared with that obtained with the aqueous electrolyte, while maintaining a similar specific power. The construction of a threedimensional nanoporous network structure consisting of a thin oxide layer on a CNT film substrate at the nm scale and the use of an organic electrolyte are promising approaches to improving the specific energyof supercapacitors.

The direct electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) is achieved without catalysts and at sufficiently high temperatures to avoid carbon formation. The tubular electrolysis cell consists of thin layers of anode, electrolyte, cathode and cell interconnection. The electrolyte is made from yttria-stabilized zirconia which is an oxygen ion conductor at elevated temperatures. Anode and cell interconnection materials are complex oxides and are electronic conductors. The cathode material is a composite metal-ceramic structure. Cell performance characteristics have been determined using varying feed gas compositions and degrees of electrochemical decomposition. Cell test data are used to project the performance of a three-person CO2-electrolysis breadboard system.

The intent of this project was two fold: (1) to develop new ionically conducting materials for solidstate gas phase sensors and fuel cells and (2) to train students and create an environment conducive to SolidState Ionics research at Southern University. The authors have investigated the electrode-electrolyte interfacial reactions, defect structure and defect stability in some perovoskite type solid electrolyte materials and the effect of electrocatalyst and electrolyte on direct hydrocarbon and methanol/air fuel cell performance using synchrotron radiation based Extended X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (EXAFS), surface analytical and Impedance Spectroscopic techniques. They have measured the AC impedance and K edge EXAFS of the entire family of rare earth dopants in Cerium Oxide to understand the effect of dopants on the conductivity and its impact on the structural properties of Cerium Oxide. All of the systems showed an increase in the conductivity over undoped ceria with ceria doped Gd, Sm and Y showing the highest values. The conductivity increased with increasing ionic radius of the dopant cation. The authors have measured the K edge of the EXAFS of these dopants to determine the local structural environment and also to understand the nature of the defect clustering between oxygen vacancies and trivalent ions. The analysis and the data reduction of these complex EXAFS spectra is in progress. Where as in the DOWCs, the authors have attempted to explore the impact of catalyst loadings on the performance of direct oxidation of methanol fuel cells. Their initial measurements on fuel cell performance characteristics and EXAFS are made on commercial membranes Pt/Ru/Nafion 115, 117 and 112.

In the present work, cost-effective nanocomposite electrolyte (Ba-SDC) oxide is developed for efficient low-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (LTSOFCs). Analysis has shown that dual phase conduction of O{sup −2} (oxygen ions) and H{sup +} (protons) plays a significant role in the development of advanced LTSOFCs. Comparatively high proton ion conductivity (0.19 s/cm) for LTSOFCs was achieved at low temperature (460 °C). In this article, the ionic conduction behaviour of LTSOFCs is explained by carrying out electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. Further, the phase and structure analysis are investigated by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy techniques. Finally, we achieved an ionic transport number of the composite electrolyte for LTSOFCs as high as 0.95 and energy and power density of 90% and 550 mW/cm{sup 2}, respectively, after sintering the composite electrolyte at 800 °C for 4 h, which is promising. Our current effort toward the development of an efficient, green, low-temperature solid oxide fuel cell with the incorporation of high proton conductivity composite electrolyte may open frontiers in the fields of energy and fuel cell technology.

We employed operando anomalous surface X-ray diffraction to investigate the buried interface between the cathode and the electrolyte of a model solid oxide fuel cell with atomic resolution. The cell was studied under different oxygen pressures at elevated temperatures and polarizations by external potential control. Making use of anomalous X-ray diffraction effects at the Y and Zr K-edges allowed us to resolve the interfacial structure and chemical composition of a (100)-oriented, 9.5 mol % yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) single crystal electrolyte below a La0.6Sr0.4CoO3−δ (LSC) electrode. We observe yttrium segregation toward the YSZ/LSC electrolyte/electrode interface under reducing conditions. Under oxidizing conditions, the interface becomes Y depleted. The yttrium segregation is corroborated by an enhanced outward relaxation of the YSZ interfacial metal ion layer. At the same time, an increase in point defect concentration in the electrolyte at the interface was observed, as evidenced by reduced YSZ crystallographic site occupancies for the cations as well as the oxygen ions. Such changes in composition are expected to strongly influence the oxygen ion transport through this interface which plays an important role for the performance of solid oxide fuel cells. The structure of the interface is compared to the bare YSZ(100) surface structure near the microelectrode under identical conditions and to the structure of the YSZ(100) surface prepared under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. PMID:27346923

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are the future of energy production in America. They offer great promise as a clean and efficient process for directly converting chemical energy to electricity while providing significant environmental benefits (they produce negligible CO, HC, or NOx and, as a result of their high efficiency, produce about one-third less CO{sub 2} per kilowatt hour than internal combustion engines). Unfortunately, the current SOFC technology, based on a stabilized zirconia electrolyte, must operate in the region of 1000 C to avoid unacceptably high ohmic losses. These high temperatures demand (a) specialized (expensive) materials for the fuel cell interconnects and insulation, (b) time to heat up to the operating temperature and (c) energy input to arrive at the operating temperature. Therefore, if fuel cells could be designed to give a reasonable power output at lower temperatures tremendous benefits may be accrued, not the least of which is reduced cost. The problem is, at lower temperatures the conductivity of the conventional stabilized zirconia electrolyte decreases to the point where it cannot supply electrical current efficiently to an external load. The primary objectives of the proposed research is to develop a stable high conductivity (>0.05 S cm{sup -1} at 550 C) electrolyte for lower temperature SOFCs. This objective is specifically directed toward meeting the lowest (and most difficult) temperature criteria for the 21st Century Fuel Cell Program. Meeting this objective provides a potential for future transportation applications of SOFCs, where their ability to directly use hydrocarbon fuels could permit refueling within the existing transportation infrastructure. In order to meet this objective we are developing a functionally gradient bilayer electrolyte comprised of bismuth oxide on the air side and ceria on the fuel side. Bismuth oxide and doped ceria are among the highest ionic conducting electrolytes and in fact bismuth oxide based

Versatile flux system grows large, well-formed, stoichiometric single crystals of mixed oxides of the transition-metal elements. These crystals have important uses in the microwave field, and applications as lasers and masers in communications.

Mucoadhesive buccal films (MBFs) provide an innovative way to facilitate the efficient site-specific delivery of active compounds while simultaneously separating the lesions from the environment of the oral cavity. The structural diversity of these complex multicomponent and mostly multiphase systems as well as an experimental strategy for their structural characterization at molecular scale with atomic resolution were demonstrated using MBFs of ciclopirox olamine (CPX) in a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) matrix as a case study. A detailed description of each component of the CPX/PEO films was followed by an analysis of the relationships between each component and the physicochemical properties of the MBFs. Two distinct MBFs were identified by solid-state NMR spectroscopy: (i) at low API (active pharmaceutical ingredient) loading, a nanoheterogeneous solid solution of CPX molecularly dispersed in an amorphous PEO matrix was created; and (ii) at high API loading, a pseudoco-crystalline system containing CPX-2-aminoethanol nanocrystals incorporated into the interlamellar space of a crystalline PEO matrix was revealed. These structural differences were found to be closely related to the mechanical and physicochemical properties of the prepared MBFs. At low API loading, the polymer chains of PEO provided sufficient quantities of binding sites to stabilize the CPX that was molecularly dispersed in the highly amorphous semiflexible polymer matrix. Consequently, the resulting MBFs were soft, with low tensile strength, plasticity, and swelling index, supporting rapid drug release. At high CPX content, however, the active compounds and the polymer chains simultaneously cocrystallized, leaving the CPX to form nanocrystals grown directly inside the spherulites of PEO. Interfacial polymer-drug interactions were thus responsible not only for the considerably enhanced plasticity of the system but also for the exclusive crystallization of CPX in the thermodynamically most stable

Thermal and oxidation stability of fluorine compound-mixed electrolyte solutions have been investigated. Charge/discharge behavior of natural graphite electrode has been also examined in the same electrolyte solutions. Fluorine compounds demonstrate much lower reactivity with metallic Li than ethylene carbonate/dimethyl carbonate. Fluorine compound-mixed electrolyte solutions show the lower reactivity with LiC6 and the smaller exothermic peaks due to decomposition of electrolyte solutions and surface films than original solutions without fluorine compound. Oxidation currents are also smaller in fluorine compound-mixed electrolyte solutions than in original ones. First coulombic efficiencies in fluorine compound-mixed electrolyte solutions are similar to those in original ethylene carbonate-based solutions except one case. Mixing of fluorine compounds highly increase first coulombic efficiencies of natural graphite electrode in propylene carbonate-containing solution.

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are the future of energy production in America. They offer great promise as a clean and efficient process for directly converting chemical energy to electricity while providing significant environmental benefits (they produce negligible hydrocarbons, CO, or NO{sub x} and, as a result of their high efficiency, produce about one-third less CO{sub 2} per kilowatt hour than internal combustion engines). Unfortunately, the current SOFC technology, based on a stabilized zirconia electrolyte, must operate in the region of 1000 C to avoid unacceptably high ohmic losses. These high temperatures demand (a) specialized (expensive) materials for the fuel cell interconnects and insulation, (b) time to heat up to the operating temperature and (c) energy input to arrive at the operating temperature. Therefore, if fuel cells could be designed to give a reasonable power output at low to intermediate1 temperatures tremendous benefits may be accrued. At low temperatures, in particular, it becomes feasible to use ferritic steel for interconnects instead of expensive and brittle ceramic materials such as those based on LaCrO{sub 3}. In addition, sealing the fuel cell becomes easier and more reliable; rapid start-up is facilitated; thermal stresses (e.g., those caused by thermal expansion mismatches) are reduced; radiative losses ({approx}T{sup 4}) become minimal; electrode sintering becomes negligible and (due to a smaller thermodynamic penalty) the SOFC operating cycle (heating from ambient) would be more efficient. Combined, all these improvements further result in reduced initial and operating costs. The problem is, at lower temperatures the conductivity of the conventional stabilized zirconia electrolyte decreases to the point where it cannot supply electrical current efficiently to an external load. The primary objectives of the proposed research are to develop a stable high conductivity (> 0.05 S cm{sup -1} at {le} 550 C) electrolyte for lower

Plasma electrolyticoxidation (PEO) processing of EV31 magnesium alloy has been carried out in fluoride containing electrolyte under bipolar pulse current regime. Unusual PEO cathodic micro-discharges have been observed and investigated. It is shown that the cathodic micro-discharges exhibit a collective intermittent behavior, which is discussed in terms of charge accumulations at the layer/electrolyte and layer/metal interfaces. Optical emission spectroscopy is used to determine the electron density (typ. 10{sup 15} cm{sup −3}) and the electron temperature (typ. 7500 K) while the role of F{sup −} anions on the appearance of cathodic micro-discharges is pointed out.

Neodymium metal of 99.8 percent purity was prepared by electrolysis of Nd2O3 salts dissolved in a molten fluoride electrolyte. The metal was electrowon in a molten state at current efficiencies of 50 to 60 percent. Oxygen and carbon were the major impurities detected in the product. During operation of the small scale laboratory cell, a number of technical problems including anode effect, low oxide solubility in the electrolyte, high neodymium metal solubility, reactivity of the metal with the cell materials, and back reaction of the metal with the anode gases were encountered. Approaches to improve cell operation and prospects for commercial adoption of the electrolytic production of neodymium metal are discussed.

An oxide ion sensitive electrode of the type Pb, PbO/ZrO/sub 2/(Y/sub 2/O/sub 3/)// was constructed and its performance tested in the binary, equimolar molten salt NaNO/sub 3/-KNO/sub 3/ over the temperature range 336 to 350/sup 0/C. The response of this electrode to oxide ion concentrations over the range 10/sup -6/ to 10/sup -10/ moles/kg is linearly dependent upon log (0/sup =/), and dE/dlog(0/sup =/) corresponds to a two-electron process.

Chemical compounds can be dissociated by contacting the same with a p/n type semi-conductor diode having visible light as its sole source of energy. The diode consists of low cost, readily available materials, specifically polycrystalline iron oxide doped with silicon in the case of the n-type semi-conductor electrode, and polycrystalline iron oxide doped with magnesium in the case of the p-type electrode. So long as the light source has an energy greater than 2.2 electron volts, no added energy source is needed to achieve dissociation.

Chemical compounds can be dissociated by contacting the same with a p/n type semi-conductor photochemical diode having visible light as its sole source of energy. The photochemical diode consists of low cost, readily available materials, specifically polycrystalline iron oxide doped with silicon in the case of the n-type semi-conductor electrode, and polycrystalline iron oxide doped with magnesium in the case of the p-type electrode. So long as the light source has an energy greater than 2.2 electron volts, no added energy source is needed to achieve dissociation.

A solid polymer electrolyte composite membrane and method of manufacturing the same. According to one embodiment, the composite membrane comprises a thin, rigid, dimensionally-stable, non-electrically-conducting support, the support having a plurality of cylindrical, straight-through pores extending perpendicularly between opposing top and bottom surfaces of the support. The pores are unevenly distributed, with some or no pores located along the periphery and more pores located centrally. The pores are completely filled with a solid polymer electrolyte, the solid polymer electrolyte including a dispersed reduced noble metal or noble metal oxide. The solid polymer electrolyte may also be deposited over the top and/or bottom surfaces of the support.

Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are considered to be emerging alternatives to the low cost indoor photovoltaic technologies. However, to make the application of these cells economically feasible, the stability of the cells need to be enhanced. This can be achieved by employing solid or quasi solidstateelectrolytes to reduce the leakage and sealing problems in DSSCs. In the present work, a gel state electrolyte composition was successfully prepared using thiourea and solidstate ionic conductor succinonitrile along with other components. The composition has been used for the fabrication of quasi solidstate DSSCs using Eosin B as the sensitizer material. The cells fabricated exhibited consistent photovoltaic properties even after 24 hours of storage under ambient conditions without sealing. The present work therefore, demonstrates a rapid and simple preparation of electrolyte medium for quasi solidstate DSSCs.

A transition layer model of the oxide-electrolyte interface, proposed earlier by one of us, is outlined and then examined in the light of experimental data relating primarily to photoelectrolysis of water at semiconducting oxide electrodes. The model provides useful insight into the behaviour of the system and allows a calculation of thc minimum bias potential needed for photoelectrolysis, thus illuminating the origin of the requirement for such an external bias. In order to electrolyse water without a bias, the model requires an n-type oxide to be sufficiently reduced so that it is thermodynamically capable of chemically reducing water to produce hydrogen at 1 atm pressure. Similarly, for bias-free operation, a p-type metal oxide must be thermodynamically unstable with respect to the release of oxygen at 1 atm pressure. In the face of these requirements it is apparent that oxide stability is bound to be in general a serious problem for nonstoichiometric single metal oxides.

This report discusses the scoping study performed to evaluate the use of a catalyzed electrolytic process for dissolving {sup 237}Np oxide targets that had been irradiated to produce {sup 238}Pu oxide. Historically, these compounds have been difficult to dissolve, and complete dissolution was obtained only by adding hydrofluoric acid to the nitric acid solvent. The presence of fluoride in the mixture is undesired because the fluoride ions are corrosive to tank and piping systems and the fluoride ions cause interferences in the spectrophotometric analyses. The goal is to find a dissolution method that will eliminate these issues and that can be incorporated into a processing system to support the domestic production and purification of {sup 238}Pu. This study evaluated the potential of cerium(IV) ions, a strong oxidant, to attack and dissolve the oxide compounds. In the dissolution process, the cerium(IV) ions are reduced to cerium(III) ions, which are not oxidants. Therefore, an electrolytic process was incorporated to continuously convert cerium(III) ions back to cerium(IV) ions so that they can dissolve more of the oxide compounds. This study showed that the neptunium and plutonium oxides were successfully dissolved and that more development work should be performed to optimize the procedure.

Understanding the role of interfaces is important for improving the performance of all-solid-state lithium ion batteries. To study these interfaces, we present a novel approach for fabrication of electrochemically active nanobatteries using focused ion beams and their characterization by analytical electron microscopy. Morphological changes by scanning transmission electron microscopy imaging and correlated elemental concentration changes by electron energy loss spectroscopy mapping are presented. We provide first evidence of lithium accumulation at the anode/current collector (Si/Cu) and cathode/electrolyte (LixCoO2/LiPON) interfaces, which can be accounted for the irreversible capacity losses. Interdiffusion of elements at the Si/LiPON interface was also witnessed with a distinct contrast layer. These results highlight that the interfaces may limit the lithium transport significantly in solid-state batteries. Fabrication of electrochemically active nanobatteries also enables in situ electron microscopy observation of electrochemical phenomena in a variety of solid-state battery chemistries. PMID:26270703

The SolidState Reactor (SSR) is an advanced reactor concept designed to take advantage of Oak Ridge National Laboratory's (ORNL's) recently developed graphite foam that has enhanced heat transfer characteristics and excellent high-temperature mechanical properties, to provide an inherently safe, self-regulated, source of heat for power and other potential applications. This work was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Nuclear Energy Research Initiative (NERI) program (Project No. 99-064) from August 1999 through September 30, 2002. The initial concept of utilizing the graphite foam as a basis for developing an advanced reactor concept envisioned that a suite of reactor configurations and power levels could be developed for several different applications. The initial focus was looking at the reactor as a heat source that was scalable, independent of any heat removal/power conversion process. These applications might include conventional power generation, isotope production and destruction (actinides), and hydrogen production. Having conducted the initial research on the graphite foam and having performed the scoping parametric analyses from neutronics and thermal-hydraulic perspectives, it was necessary to focus on a particular application that would (1) demonstrate the viability of the overall concept and (2) require a reasonably structured design analysis process that would synthesize those important parameters that influence the concept the most as part of a feasible, working reactor system. Thus, the application targeted for this concept was supplying power for remote/harsh environments and a design that was easily deployable, simplistic from an operational standpoint, and utilized the new graphite foam. Specifically, a 500-kW(t) reactor concept was pursued that is naturally load following, inherently safe, optimized via neutronic studies to achieve near-zero reactivity change with burnup, and proliferation resistant. These four major areas of research

Nanochannel arrays were fabricated by the self-organized multi-electrolyte-step anodic aluminum oxide [AAO] method in this study. The anodization conditions used in the multi-electrolyte-step AAO method included a phosphoric acid solution as the electrolyte and an applied high voltage. There was a change in the phosphoric acid by the oxalic acid solution as the electrolyte and the applied low voltage. This method was used to produce self-organized nanochannel arrays with good regularity and circularity, meaning less power loss and processing time than with the multi-step AAO method. PMID:22333268

An electrolyticoxide reduction system according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention may include a plurality of anode assemblies and an anode shroud for each of the anode assemblies. The anode shroud may be used to dilute, cool, and/or remove off-gas from the electrolyticoxide reduction system. The anode shroud may include a body portion having a tapered upper section that includes an apex. The body portion may have an inner wall that defines an off-gas collection cavity. A chimney structure may extend from the apex of the upper section and be connected to the off-gas collection cavity of the body portion. The chimney structure may include an inner tube within an outer tube. Accordingly, a sweep gas/cooling gas may be supplied down the annular space between the inner and outer tubes, while the off-gas may be removed through an exit path defined by the inner tube.

An electrochemical cell with a Co(III) mediator and neutral pH anolyte provides efficient destruction of organic and mixed wastes. The organic waste is concentrated in the anolyte reservoir, where the cobalt mediator oxidizes the organics and insoluble radioactive species and is regenerated at the anode until all organics are converted to carbon dioxide and destroyed. The neutral electrolyte is non-corrosive, and thus extends the lifetime of the cell and its components.

An electrochemical cell with a Co(III) mediator and neutral pH anolyte provides efficient destruction of organic and mixed wastes. The organic waste is concentrated in the anolyte reservoir, where the cobalt mediator oxidizes the organics and insoluble radioactive species and is regenerated at the anode until all organics are converted to carbon dioxide and destroyed. The neutral electrolyte is non-corrosive, and thus extends the lifetime of the cell and its components. 2 figs.

Levothyroxine as active pharmaceutical ingredient of formulations used for the treatment of hypothyroidism is distributed worldwide and taken by millions of people. An important issue in terms of compound stability is its capability to react with ambient oxygen, especially in case of long term compound storage at elevated temperature. In this study we demonstrate that ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled to UV spectrometry and high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-UV-HRMS) represent very useful approaches to investigate the influence of ambient oxygen on the degradation kinetics of levothyroxine in the solidstate at enhanced degradation conditions. Moreover, the impurity pattern of oxidative degradation of levothyroxine is elucidated and classified with respect to degradation kinetics at different oxygen levels. Kinetic analysis of thyroxine bulk material at 100 °C reveals bi-phasic degradation kinetics with a distinct change in degradation phases dependent on the availability of oxygen. The results clearly show that contact of the bulk material to ambient oxygen is a key factor for fast compound degradation. Furthermore, the combination of time-resolved HRMS data and automated data processing is shown to allow insights into the kinetics and mechanism of impurity formation on individual compound basis. By comparing degradation profiles, four main classes of profiles linked to reaction pathways of thyroxine degradation were identifiable. Finally, we show the capability of automated data processing for the matching of different stressing conditions, in order to extract information about mechanistic similarities. As a result, degradation kinetics is influenced by factors like availability of oxygen, stressing time, or stressing temperature, while the degradation mechanisms appear to be conserved. PMID:25456598

The local structure and cation ordering in dielectric oxide microwave ceramics with stoichiometry A(Lix(Nb,Ta)y) O3 are investigated using 7Li and 93Nb solid-state NMR spectroscopy. For all samples, 7Li MAS NMR spectra show one strong and sharp resonance peak indicating one unique environment which corresponds to local lithium environment of nearest B-site neighbor (nBn) surrounded by 4 LiO6 octahedra and 2 NbO6 octahedra (TaO6 in some samples). In addition to this, 7Li MAS NMR spectrum of (Ca2/3La1/3) (Li1/3Nb2/3) O3 show one additional weak and broad resonance peak which can be assigned to nBn of 3 LiO6 octahedra and 3 NbO6 octahedra. 93Nb MAS NMR spectra of samples with niobium content, show a resonance peak with tail toward the low frequency limit, an evidence to the existence of chemical shifts and quadrupole couplings distributions. Both (Sr2/3La1/3) (Li1/3Nb2/3) O3 and Ca(Li1/4Nb3/4) O3 spectra show one broad resonance peak, which can be interpreted as one NbO6 octahedron nBn with many slight variations through out the sample. While (Ca2/3La1/3) (Li1/3Nb2/3) O3 spectra show four peaks correspond to four distinct NbO6 octahedra local nBn environments with the nBn configuration as: (i) 3 LiO6 and 3 NbO6; (ii) 2 LiO6 and 4 NbO6; (iii) 1 LiO6 and 5 NbO6; (iv) all 6 NbO6

Solidstate recorders have become the recorder of choice for meeting airborne ruggedized requirements for reconnaissance and flight test. The cost of solidstate recorders have decreased over the past few years that they are now less expense than the traditional high speed tape recorders. CALCULEX, Inc manufactures solidstate recorders called MONSSTR (Modular Non-volatile SolidState Recorder). MONSSTR is being used on many different platforms such as F/A-22, Global Hawk, F-14, F-15, F-16, U-2, RF-4, and Tornado. This paper will discuss the advantages of using solidstate recorders to meet the airborne reconnaissance requirement and the ability to record instrumentation data. The CALCULEX recorder has the ability to record sensor data and flight test data in the same chassis. This is an important feature because it eliminates additional boxes on the aircraft. The major advantages to using a solidstate recorder include; reliability, small size, light weight, and power. Solidstate recorders also have a larger storage capacity and higher bandwidth capability than other recording devices.

Bismuth-strontium-calcium-copper oxide (Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}CaCu{sub 2}O{sub 8}, BSCCO) is known for its high T{sub c} superconducting behavior and mixed conducting property. The applicability of similar high T{sub c} cuprates for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) application has been studied recently. We investigated the electrochemical behavior of several Ag{vert_bar}BSCCO{vert_bar}10 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ){vert_bar}Ag and Ag{vert_bar}YSZ{vert_bar}Ag cells using complex impedance spectroscopy. A highly uniform and porous microstructure was observed at the interface of the YSZ and BSCCO. The ionic conductivity determined from the Nyquest plots in the temperature range of 200-700{degrees}C agrees with the values reported in the literature. The specific resistance of the BSCCO{vert_bar}YSZ interface was also determined to be lower than those of the conventional manganite electrode, suggesting that BSCCO seems attractive for cathode applications in SOFC.

Surface modification was attempted on Nitinol (NiTi) by plasma electrolyticoxidation (PEO) in aqueous solutions of sodium sulphate and sodium hydroxide (Na2SO4-NaOH) using an AC power supply. A thick and porous oxide layer with micron-sized pores was formed on the Nitinol substrate, with the thickness of the oxide layer ranging from a few μm to over 10 μm, depending on the processing time. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed that the oxide formed was anatase. Potentiodynamic polarization tests in Hanks' solution showed that the corrosion resistance of PEO-coated Nitinol was much higher than that of the substrate. More importantly, the apatite-forming ability of the PEO-treated NiTi was found to be enhanced. This could be attributed to the anatase crystalline structure of the titanium oxide and the porous structure that facilitates the anchorage of the hydroxyapatite particles.

There is a need for variable transmission technology for Goggles, Spectacles, and visors for Helmet-Mounted Displays (HMDs). At present, most HMD's do not allow the pilot to control the transmission level of a flight visor while transitioning from high to low light levels throughout flight. Sunglasses are often used for non-HMD conditions but become impractical for HMD use. For individuals moving from high to low brightness levels, momentary blindness is an issue in both recreational sports and military applications. A user-controlled or automatically controllable variabletransmittance lens is a possible solution. The Eclipse Visible Electrochromic Device (EclipseECDTM) is well suited for these light modulation applications. The EclipseECDTM modulates light intensity by changing the absorption level under an applied electric field. The optical density may be continuously changed by varying voltage allowing for analog instead of digital (on/off) light levels. EclipseECDTM is comprised of vacuum deposited layers of a transparent bottom electrode, an active element, and a transparent top electrode, incorporating an all, solid-stateelectrolyte. The solid-stateelectrolyte eliminates possible complications associated with gel-based or liquid crystal based technologies including lamination, and precludes the need for additional visor modifications. This all solid-state ECD system can be deposited on flexible substrates, eg. PET, PC, etc. The low-temperature deposition process enables direct application to polymer lenses and HMD flight visors. Additionally, the coating is easily manufactured; can be trimmed, has near spectral neutrality and fails in the clear (bleached) condition.

There is a need for variable transmission technology for Goggles, Spectacles, and visors for Helmet-Mounted Displays (HMDs). At present, most HMDs do not allow the pilot to control the transmission level of a flight visor while transitioning from high to low light levels throughout flight. Sunglasses are often used for non-HMD conditions but become impractical for HMD use. For individuals moving from high to low brightness levels, momentary blindness is an issue in both recreational sports and military applications. A user-controlled or automatically controllable variabletransmittance lens is a possible solution. The Eclipse Visible Electrochromic Device (EclipseECDTM) is well suited for these light modulation applications. The EclipseECDTM modulates light intensity by changing the absorption level under an applied electric field. The optical density may be continuously changed by varying voltage allowing for analog instead of digital (on/off) light levels. EclipseECDTM is comprised of vacuum deposited layers of a transparent bottom electrode, an active element, and a transparent top electrode, incorporating an all, solid-stateelectrolyte. The solid-stateelectrolyte eliminates possible complications associated with gel-based or liquid crystal based technologies including lamination, and precludes the need for additional visor modifications. This all solid-state ECD system can be deposited on flexible substrates, eg. PET, PC, etc. The low-temperature deposition process enables direct application to polymer lenses and HMD flight visors. Additionally, the coating is easily manufactured; can be trimmed, has near spectral neutrality and fails in the clear (bleached) condition.

A means for detecting carbon monoxide which utilizes an un-heated catalytic material to oxidize carbon monoxide at ambient temperatures. Because this reaction is exothermic, a thermistor in contact with the catalytic material is used as a sensing element to detect the heat evolved as carbon monoxide is oxidized to carbon dioxide at the catalyst surface, without any heaters or external heating elements for the ambient air or catalytic element material. Upon comparison to a reference thermistor, relative increases in the temperature of the sensing thermistor correspond positively with an increased concentration of carbon monoxide in the ambient medium and are thus used as an indicator of the presence of carbon monoxide.

The native environment for a membrane protein is a phospholipid bilayer. Because the protein is immobilized on NMR timescales by the interactions within a bilayer membrane, solid-state NMR methods are essential to obtain high-resolution spectra. Approaches have been developed for both unoriented and oriented samples, however, they all rest on the foundation of the most fundamental aspects solid-state NMR, and the chemical shift and homo- and hetero-nuclear dipole-dipole interactions. Solid-state NMR has advanced sufficiently to enable the structures of membrane proteins to be determined under near-native conditions in phospholipid bilayers. PMID:25681966

Lithium solid electrolytes can potentially address two key limitations of the organic electrolytes used in today's lithium-ion batteries, namely, their flammability and limited electrochemical stability. However, achieving a Li+ conductivity in the solidstate comparable to existing liquid electrolytes (>1 mS cm-1) is particularly challenging. In this work, we reveal a fundamental relationship between anion packing and ionic transport in fast Li-conducting materials and expose the desirable structural attributes of good Li-ion conductors. We find that an underlying body-centred cubic-like anion framework, which allows direct Li hops between adjacent tetrahedral sites, is most desirable for achieving high ionic conductivity, and that indeed this anion arrangement is present in several known fast Li-conducting materials and other fast ion conductors. These findings provide important insight towards the understanding of ionic transport in Li-ion conductors and serve as design principles for future discovery and design of improved electrolytes for Li-ion batteries.

Summary Solid oxide fuel cells with atomic layer-deposited thin film electrolytes supported on anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) are electrochemically characterized with varying thickness of bottom electrode catalyst (BEC); BECs which are 0.5 and 4 times thicker than the size of AAO pores are tested. The thicker BEC ensures far more active mass transport on the BEC side and resultantly the thicker BEC cell generates ≈11 times higher peak power density than the thinner BEC cell at 500 °C. PMID:26425432

Solid oxide fuel cells with atomic layer-deposited thin film electrolytes supported on anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) are electrochemically characterized with varying thickness of bottom electrode catalyst (BEC); BECs which are 0.5 and 4 times thicker than the size of AAO pores are tested. The thicker BEC ensures far more active mass transport on the BEC side and resultantly the thicker BEC cell generates ≈11 times higher peak power density than the thinner BEC cell at 500 °C. PMID:26425432

Here we demonstrate that by regulating the mobility of classic -EO- based backbones, an innovative polymer electrolyte system can be architectured. This polymer electrolyte allows the construction of all solid lithium-based polymer cells having outstanding cycling behaviour in terms of rate capability and stability over a wide range of operating temperatures. Polymer electrolytes are obtained by UV-induced (co)polymerization, which promotes an effective interlinking between the polyethylene oxide (PEO) chains plasticized by tetraglyme at various lithium salt concentrations. The polymer networks exhibit sterling mechanical robustness, high flexibility, homogeneous and highly amorphous characteristics. Ambient temperature ionic conductivity values exceeding 0.1 mS cm-1 are obtained, along with a wide electrochemical stability window (>5 V vs. Li/Li+), excellent lithium ion transference number (>0.6) as well as interfacial stability. Moreover, the efficacious resistance to lithium dendrite nucleation and growth postulates the implementation of these polymer electrolytes in next generation of all-solid Li-metal batteries working at ambient conditions.

Plasma electrolyticoxidation (PEO) was applied on the surface of commercially pure titanium substrates in a mixed aluminate-phosphate electrolyte in the presence of silicon nitride nanoparticles as suspension in the electrolyte in order to fabricate nanocomposite coatings. Pulsed current was applied based on variable duty cycle in order to synthesize functionally gradient coatings (FGC). Different rates of variable duty cycle (3, 1.5 and 1%/min), applied current densities (0.06-0.14 A/cm2) and concentrations of nanoparticles in the electrolyte (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 g l-1) were investigated. The nanopowder and coated samples were analyzed by atomic force microscope, scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. The influence of different rates of variable duty cycle (or treatment times) on the growth rate of nanocomposite coatings and their microhardness values was investigated. The experimental results revealed that the content of Si3N4 nanoparticulates in the layer increases with the increase of its concentration in the plasma electrolysis bath. Nanocomposite coatings fabricated with lower rate of variable duty cycle have higher microhardness with smoother microhardness profile.

Here we demonstrate that by regulating the mobility of classic −EO− based backbones, an innovative polymer electrolyte system can be architectured. This polymer electrolyte allows the construction of all solid lithium-based polymer cells having outstanding cycling behaviour in terms of rate capability and stability over a wide range of operating temperatures. Polymer electrolytes are obtained by UV-induced (co)polymerization, which promotes an effective interlinking between the polyethylene oxide (PEO) chains plasticized by tetraglyme at various lithium salt concentrations. The polymer networks exhibit sterling mechanical robustness, high flexibility, homogeneous and highly amorphous characteristics. Ambient temperature ionic conductivity values exceeding 0.1 mS cm−1 are obtained, along with a wide electrochemical stability window (>5 V vs. Li/Li+), excellent lithium ion transference number (>0.6) as well as interfacial stability. Moreover, the efficacious resistance to lithium dendrite nucleation and growth postulates the implementation of these polymer electrolytes in next generation of all-solid Li-metal batteries working at ambient conditions. PMID:26791572

Aqueous dispersions of graphene oxide are inherently unstable in the presence of electrolytes, which screen the electrostatic surface charge on these nanosheets and induce irreversible aggregation. Two complementary strategies, utilizing either electrostatic or steric stabilization, have been developed to enhance the stability of graphene oxide in electrolyte solutions, allowing it to stay dispersed in cell culture media and serum. The electrostatic stabilization approach entails further oxidation of graphene oxide to low C/O ratio (~1.03) and increases ionic tolerance of these nanosheets. The steric stabilization technique employs an amphiphilic block copolymer that serves as a non-covalently bound surfactant to minimize the aggregate-induced nanosheets-nanosheet interactions. Both strategies can stabilize graphene oxide nanosheets with large dimensions (>300 nm) in biological media, allowing for an enhancement of >250% in the bioconjugation efficiency of streptavidin in comparison to untreated nanosheets. Notably, both strategies allow the stabilized nanosheets to be readily uptake by cells, demonstrating their excellent performance as potential drug delivery vehicles. PMID:22017285

We discuss how structural disorder and amorphization affect solid-state diffusion, and consider zirconolite as a currently important case study. By performing extensive molecular dynamics simulations, we disentangle the effects of amorphization and density, and show that a profound increase of solid-state diffusion takes place as a result of amorphization. Importantly, this can take place at the same density as in the crystal, representing an interesting general insight regarding solid-state diffusion. We find that decreasing the density in the amorphous system increases pre-factors of diffusion constants, but does not change the activation energy in the density range considered. We also find that atomic species in zirconolite are affected differently by amorphization and density change. Our microscopic insights are relevant for understanding how solid-state diffusion changes due to disorder and for building predictive models of operation of materials to be used to encapsulate nuclear waste.

To accelerate the development and implementation of needed standards for solid-state lighting products, DOE works closely with a network of standards-setting organizations and offers technical assistance and support

More than a century after the introduction of incandescent lighting and half a century after the introduction of fluorescent lighting, solid-state light sources are revolutionizing an increasing number of applications. Whereas the efficiency of conventional incandescent and fluorescent lights is limited by fundamental factors that cannot be overcome, the efficiency of solid-state sources is limited only by human creativity and imagination. The high efficiency of solid-state sources already provides energy savings and environmental benefits in a number of applications. However, solid-state sources also offer controllability of their spectral power distribution, spatial distribution, color temperature, temporal modulation, and polarization properties. Such "smart" light sources can adjust to specific environments and requirements, a property that could result in tremendous benefits in lighting, automobiles, transportation, communication, imaging, agriculture, and medicine. PMID:15919985

In this contribution the relevant technological aspects of LED-based lamps for solidstate lighting are discussed. In addition to general energy efficiency considerations improvements in LED chip technology and white light generation are presented.

The actinide elements (5f elements) and their compounds constitute a very interesting group for solidstate research. The electronic properties of the 5f elements show intermediate behavior between the well-understood, completely localized 4f system (lanthanides) and the 3d system (transition elements). The possibility of understanding some unexplained properties of the 3d elements through a systematic investigation of the electronic structures of the actinides considerably increased interest in samples with well-defined composition and structure and with well-known purity. In some cases, single crystals of low defect densities and high purity levels are needed to allow sophisticated investigations of physical properties. Actinide compounds are easily obtained at a high purity level by direct synthesis from pure elements using noncontaminating techniques. Examples of these techniques are the reaction of the actinide metal powder with the vapor of an oxidant in a sealed quartz ampoule, leviation melting on a water-cooled pedestal or melting in a Huking crucible. Actinide metals are produced by metallothermic reduction of commercially available oxides or carbides or by the van Arkel purification process. The metals are refined to the desired purity level by evaporation in vacuum for the more volatile elements (Ac, Pu, Am, Cm, Bk) and by the van Arkel process for the metals with low vapor pressure. Single crystals of actinide compounds have been grown by chemical vapor transport methods (oxides, chalcogenides), high temperature solution growth techniques (oxides), and pulling from the melt by the Czochralski method (oxides, intermetallics). Thin solid films have been prepared by vacuum evaporation or by focused ion-beam sputtering. The materials are analyzed for trace-level impurity content by inductively-coupled plasma spectroscopy, by spark source mass spectroscopy and by secondary-ion mass spectroscopy. The chemical composition of the compounds is determined by

A novel method and apparatus for suppressing ASE and parasitic oscillation modes in a high average power laser is introduced. Such an invention, as disclosed herein, uses diffraction gratings to increase gain, stored energy density, and pumping efficiency of solid-state laser gain media, such as, but not limited to rods, disks and slabs. By coupling predetermined gratings to solid-state gain media, such as crystal or ceramic laser gain media, ASE and parasitic oscillation modes can be effectively suppressed.

This invention relates to gas-impermeable, solidstate materials fabricated into membranes for use in catalytic membrane reactors. This invention particularly relates to solidstate oxygen anion- and electron-mediating membranes for use in catalytic membrane reactors for promoting partial or full oxidation of different chemical species, for decomposition of oxygen-containing species, and for separation of oxygen from other gases. Solidstate materials for use in the membranes of this invention include mixed metal oxide compounds having the brownmillerite crystal structure.

This invention relates to gas-impermeable, solidstate materials fabricated into membranes for use in catalytic membrane reactors. This invention particularly relates to solidstate oxygen anion- and electron-mediating membranes for use in catalytic membrane reactors for promoting partial or full oxidation of different chemical species, for decomposition of oxygen-containing species, and for separation of oxygen from other gases. Solidstate materials for use in the membranes of this invention include mixed metal oxide compounds having the brownmillerite crystal structure.

Objectives of this project were to prepare and characterize novel solidstate proton-conductors and to evaluate these compounds as fuel cell electrolytes. The thrust was on the synthesis of new proton-conducting ``model`` and ``polymeric`` compounds, based on acid functions of the type (R{sub f}SO{sub 2}){sub 2}NH and (R{sub f}SO{sub 2}){sub 2}CH{sub 2} in appropriate fluorinated carbon structures, their physics-chemical characterization (Infra-red, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Differential Scanning Calorimetry, and X-ray Diffraction), and is pro. evaluation as candidate fuel cell electrolytes for use at elevated temperatures. This project consisted of four tasks (i) Synthesis of Proton-Conducting Polymer Electrolytes; (ii) Physical and Chemical Characterization of Proton-Conducting Polymer Electrolytes; (iii) Electrochemical Characterization of Proton-Conducting Polymer Electrolytes; and (iv) Evaluation of Proton-Conducting Polymer Electrolytes for Fuel Cells.

SolidState Ionics has its roots essentially in Europe. First foundations were laid by Michael Faraday who discovered the solid electrolytes Ag2S and PbF2 and coined terms such as cation and anion, electrode and electrolyte. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the main lines of development toward SolidState Ionics, pursued in Europe, concerned the linear laws of transport, structural analysis, disorder and entropy and the electrochemical storage and conversion of energy. Fundamental contributions were then made by Walther Nernst, who derived the Nernst equation and detected ionic conduction in heterovalently doped zirconia, which he utilized in his Nernst lamp. Another big step forward was the discovery of the extraordinary properties of alpha silver iodide in 1914. In the late 1920s and early 1930s, the concept of point defects was established by Yakov Il'ich Frenkel, Walter Schottky and Carl Wagner, including the development of point-defect thermodynamics by Schottky and Wagner. In terms of point defects, ionic (and electronic) transport in ionic crystals became easy to visualize. In an ‘evolving scheme of materials science’, point disorder precedes structural disorder, as displayed by the AgI-type solid electrolytes (and other ionic crystals), by ion-conducting glasses, polymer electrolytes and nano-composites. During the last few decades, much progress has been made in finding and investigating novel solid electrolytes and in using them for the preservation of our environment, in particular in advanced solidstate battery systems, fuel cells and sensors. Since 1972, international conferences have been held in the field of SolidState Ionics, and the International Society for SolidState Ionics was founded at one of them, held at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, in 1987.

La27W4NbO55-δ (LWNO) has been tested as electrolyte for proton conductor Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (PC-SOFCs). For this purpose, different electrodes and composite electrodes are considered, including: La0.8Sr0.2MnO3-δ, La0.6Sr0.4Co1-xFexO3-δ, La0.75Sr0.25Cr0.5Mn0.5O3-δ, SrFe0.75Nb0.25O3-δ and NiO. Chemical compatibility between the cell components is investigated by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Furthermore, area specific resistance (ASR) for the different electrodes is determined in symmetrical cells by impedance spectroscopy. XRPD and EDS analysis does not reveal significant bulk reactivity between most of these electrodes and LWNO electrolyte in the typical operating temperature range of an SOFC (600-900 °C). However, minor interdiffusion of elements at the electrolyte/electrode interface has negative effects on both the ohmic losses and electrode polarization of the cells. ASR values are significantly improved by using a porous buffer layer of Ce0.8Gd0.2O1.9 (CGO), deposited between the electrolyte and electrode materials, to prevent reactivity. A single cell with a 350 μm-thick electrolyte, NiO-CGO and La0.6Sr0.4Co0.8Fe0.2O3-δ-CGO composite as anode and cathode, respectively, generates maximum power densities of 140 and 18 mWcm-2 at 900 and 650 °C, respectively.

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) are being developed for various applications in the automobile, power-generation, and aeronautics industries. Recently, the NASA Glenn Research Center has been exploring the possibility of using SOFC's for aeropropulsion under its Zero Carbon Dioxide Emission Technology (ZCET) Program. 10-mol% yttriastabilized zirconia (10YSZ) is a very good anionic conductor at high temperatures and is, therefore, used as an oxygen solid electrolyte in SOFC. However, it has a high thermal expansion coefficient, low thermal shock resistance, low fracture toughness, and poor mechanical strength. For aeronautic applications, the thin ceramic electrolyte membrane of the SOFC needs to be strong and tough. Therefore, we have been investigating the possibility of enhancing the strength and fracture toughness of the 10YSZ electrolyte without degrading its electrical conductivity to an appreciable extent. We recently demonstrated that the addition of alumina to zirconia electrolyte increases its strength as well as its fracture toughness. Zirconia-alumina composites containing 0 to 30 mol% of alumina were fabricated by hot pressing. The hot pressing procedure was developed and various hot pressing parameters were optimized, resulting in dense, crackfree panels of composite materials. Cubic zirconia and a-alumina were the only phases detected, indicating that there was no chemical reaction between the constituents during hot pressing at elevated temperatures. Flexure strength sf and fracture toughness K(sub IC) of the various zirconia-alumina composites were measured at room temperature as well as at 1000 C in air. Both properties showed systematic improvement with increased alumina addition at room temperature and at 1000 C. Use of these modified electrolytes with improved strength and fracture toughness should prolong the life and enhance the performance of SOFC in aeronautics and other applications.

Polymer electrolytes, salts dissolved in solid polymers, hold the key to realizing all solid-state devices such as rechargeable lithium batteries, electrochromic displays, or SMART windows. For 25 years conductivity was believed to be confined to amorphous polymer electrolytes, all crystalline polymer electrolytes were thought to be insulators. However, recent results have demonstrated conductivity in crystalline polymer electrolytes, although the levels at room temperature are too low for application. Here we show, for the first time, that it is possible to raise significantly the level of ionic conductivity by aliovalent doping. The conductivity may be raised by 1.5 orders of magnitude if the SbF6- ion in the crystalline conductor poly(ethylene oxide)6:LiSbF6 is replaced by less than 5 mol % SiF6(2-), thus introducing additional, mobile, Li+ ions into the structure to maintain electroneutrality. PMID:16366585

Recently, rechargeable lithium ion batteries, which offer high energy density and long cycle life, are in great demand as power sources for our mobile electronic society. The formation of a solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on the surface of electrodes in lithium ion batteries plays an essential role in their performance. This thesis presents solidstate NMR and MAS NMR results on the SEI, which contribute to our understanding of SEI formation on both cathodes and anodes. This thesis is organized as following: Chapter 1 surveys the history of batteries and the challenges to further development of the lithium ion battery. Fundamental aspects and SEI formation mechanisms are also included in Chapter l. Chapter 2 deals with the principles and experimental techniques of solidstate NMR. Chapter 3 presents studies of SEI formation on anode and cathode in lithium ion batteries using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and NMR. The results provide EIS and NMR evidence that cells containing electrolytes with high EC content display less irreversible capacity after high temperature storage. The irreversible capacity is attributed to SEI growth on electrode surfaces. NMR results on cathodes, on the other hand, imply that the presence of Ni in the cathode may reduce cell performance due to the oxidation of Ni 3+ to Ni4+. Our simulations show that a lower EC/DMC ratio is associated with a smaller SEI intensity for the cathode and higher intensity for the anode. Chapter 4 discusses the effect of temperature on SEI formation on anodes and cathodes. NMR measurements show that MCMB graphite based anodes exhibit high stability no chemical shift is evident over a wide temperature range. On cathodes, however, NMR does reveal changes in SEI intensity as a function of temperature. These changes are believed to be the result of decomposition of the SEI. Evidently, then, changes in the performance of the cell as a factor of temperature are, at least in part, due to changes in

A cermet inert anode for the electrolytic production of metals such as aluminum is disclosed. The inert anode comprises a ceramic phase including an oxide of Ni, Fe and M, where M is at least one metal selected from Zn, Co, Al, Li, Cu, Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Ta, W, Mo, Hf and rare earths, preferably Zn and/or Co. Preferred ceramic compositions comprise Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3, NiO and ZnO or CoO. The cermet inert anode also comprises a metal phase such as Cu, Ag, Pd, Pt, Au, Rh, Ru, Ir and/or Os. A preferred metal phase comprises Cu and Ag. The cermet inert anodes may be used in electrolytic reduction cells for the production of commercial purity aluminum as well as other metals.

The crystalline structure of polyethylene oxide (PEO) strongly affects the ion transport in solid PEO-Lithium salt electrolytes. Four possible phases can exist in a PEO-LiClO4 electrolyte membrane, e.g. crystalline PEO, amorphous PEO, amorphous PEO-Li complex and crystalline PEO-Li complex. It has been widely accepted so far that ion can transport through either amorphous PEO phase or PEO-Li crystalline complex phase. The ion conduction mechanism of the former is based on ion hopping as well as PEO segment motion. In the latter case two PEO chains form cylindrical channels within which Lithium cation can transport. In this presentation, we will show that tuning the crystalline morphology can optimize ion conduction. This can be achieved by controlling the orientation of the PEO lamellae as well as PEO-Li crystalline complex to optimize the ion conducting pathways.

The continuous improvement of the anode materials constitutes a major challenge for the future commercial use of polymer electrolyte membranes (PEM) electrolyzers for hydrogen production. In accordance to this direction, iridium/titanium films deposited directly on carbon substrates via magnetron sputtering are operated as electrodes for the oxygen evolution reaction interfaced with Nafion 115 electrolyte in a laboratory single cell PEM hydrogen generator. The anode with 0.2 mg cm -2 Ir catalyst loading was electrochemically activated by cycling its potential value between 0 and 1.2 V (vs. RHE). The water electrolysis cell was operated at 90 °C with current density 1 A cm -2 at 1.51 V without the ohmic contribution. The corresponding current density per mgr of Ir catalyst is 5 A mg -1. The achieved high efficiency is combined with sufficient electrode stability since the oxidation of the carbon substrate during the anodic polarization is almost negligible.

This critical review presents an overview of the various classes of oxide materials exhibiting fast oxide-ion or proton conductivity for use as solid electrolytes in clean energy applications such as solid oxide fuel cells. Emphasis is placed on the relationship between structural and mechanistic features of the crystalline materials and their ion conduction properties. After describing well-established classes such as fluorite- and perovskite-based oxides, new materials and structure-types are presented. These include a variety of molybdate, gallate, apatite silicate/germanate and niobate systems, many of which contain flexible structural networks, and exhibit different defect properties and transport mechanisms to the conventional materials. It is concluded that the rich chemistry of these important systems provides diverse possibilities for developing superior ionic conductors for use as solid electrolytes in fuel cells and related applications. In most cases, a greater atomic-level understanding of the structures, defects and conduction mechanisms is achieved through a combination of experimental and computational techniques (217 references). PMID:20848015

Hydroxyapatite (HA) is a bioactive material that is widely used for improving the osseointegration of titanium dental implants. Titanium can be coated with HA by various methods, such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD), thermal spray, or plasma spray. HA coatings can also be grown on titanium surfaces by hydrothermal, chemical, and electrochemical methods. Plasma electrolyticoxidation (PEO), or microarc oxidation (MAO), is an electrochemical method that enables the production of a thick porous oxide layer on the surface of a titanium implant. If the electrolyte in which PEO is performed contains calcium and phosphate ions, the oxide layer produced may contain hydroxyapatite. The HA content can then be increased by subsequent hydrothermal treatment. The HA thus produced on titanium surfaces has attractive properties, such as a high porosity, a controllable thickness, and a considerable density, which favor its use in dental and bone surgery. This review summarizes the state of the art and possible further development of PEO for the production of HA on Ti implants. PMID:25175246

The invention relates to coated metal powders and to dispersions of such powders in liquid vehicles forming screenable, sinterable pastes for use in forming electrodes on photovoltaic devices. The primary nickel or copper metal particles are provided with a carrier of lower melting sintering metals such as 1-20% by weight, of a non-oxidizing metal such as lead or tin. The powdered metal systems operate on the basis of fusing together by way of eutectic alloying. As the paste is heated during firing the organic binder is first vaporized. An eutectic of the base metal (copper) and coating (tin) forms at the intersections of the base metal grains. This eutectic dissolves the grains and as the temperature is raised above the eutectic temperature, more of the base metal is dissolved. While the temperature is held at the higher value, the much smaller amount of sintering metal disappears as the eutectic dissolves and diffuses into the base metal until the composition of the eutectic is so enriched with base metal that it no longer has the eutectic properties and it solidifies. In this high temperature solidification, the base metal grains became thoroughly alloyed together and will not separate at the eutectic temperature (a lower temperature than their solidification by diffusion).

The structure of needle coke was changed to graphite oxide structure after oxidation treatment with 70 wt.% of nitric acid and sodium chlorate (NaClO3), and the inter-layer distance of the oxidized needle coke was expanded to 6.9 angstroms. The first charge profile of the oxidized needle coke-cell with 1.2 M TEMABF4/acetonitrile solution displayed that the intercalation of electrolyte ions into the inter-layer occurred at 1.0 V, which value is lower than 1.3 V of the oxidized needle coke-cell with 1.2 M TEABF4/acetonitrile solution. After first charge/discharge, the cell using TEMABF4 electrolyte exhibited smaller electrode resistance of 0.05 omega, and larger specific volume capacitance of 25.5 F/ml at the two-electrode system in the potential range 0-2.5 V than those of the cell using TEABF4 electrolyte. Compared to the TEABF4 electrolyte, better electrochemical performance of the TEMABF4 electrolyte in the oxidized needle coke may be caused by the smaller cation (TEMA+) size and better ion mobility in the nanopores between inter-layers. PMID:23858941

Two prototype solidstate phased array systems concepts for potential use in the Solar Power Satellite are described; the end-mounted and the sandwich systems. In both concepts, the beam is centered on the rectenna by means of phase conjugation of a pilot signal emanating from the ground. In the end-mounted system 36-watt amplifiers are mounted on the ground-plane, whereas in the sandwich the amplifiers are elevated to the dipoles, and their waste heat is dissipated by beryllium oxide discs. The feed lines are underneath the ground-plane, and a coaxial transmission line is carried all the way to the amplifier input. Also discussed is solidstate amplifier development.

Oxides based on the fluorite structure are important as electrolytes in solid oxide fuel cells, thermal barrier coatings, gate dielectrics, catalysts, and nuclear materials. Though the parent fluorite structure is simple, the substitution of trivalent for tetravalent cations, coupled with the presence of charge-balancing oxygen vacancies, leads to a wealth of short-range and long-range ordered structures and complex thermodynamic properties. The location of vacancies and the nature of clusters affect the energetics of mixing in rare earth doped zirconia, hafnia, ceria, urania, and thoria, with systematic trends in energetics as a function of cation radius. High temperature oxide melt solution calorimetry has provided direct measurement of formation enthalpies of these refractory materials. Surface and interfacial energies have also been measured in yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) nanomaterials. Other ionic conductors having perovskite, apatite, and mellilite structures are discussed briefly.

A new concept of the role of twinning in processes of plastic deformation is proposed which suggests mechanical twinning to be the main mechanism of solid-state reactions under the deformation mixing of components, in particular, the grinding of aluminum oxide (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) and yttrium oxide (Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}) powders, as a result of which yttrium-aluminum garnet (Y{sub 3}Al{sub 5}O{sub 12}) particles are formed.

Solidstate recorders have begun replacing traditional tape recorders in fulfilling the requirement to record images on airborne platforms. With the advances in electro-optical, IR, SAR, Multi and Hyper-spectral sensors and video recording requirements, solidstate recorders have become the recorder of choice. Solidstate recorders provide the additional storage, higher sustained bandwidth, less power, less weight and smaller footprint to meet the current and future recording requirements. CALCULEX, Inc., manufactures a non-volatile flash memory solidstate recorder called the MONSSTR (Modular Non-volatile SolidState Recorder). MONSSTR is being used to record images from many different digital sensors on high performance aircraft such as the RF- 4, F-16 and the Royal Air Force Tornado. MONSSTR, with its internal multiplexer, is also used to record instrumentation data. This includes multiple streams of PCM and multiple channels of 1553 data. Instrumentation data is being recorded by MONSSTR systems in a range of platforms including F-22, F-15, F-16, Comanche Helicopter and US Navy torpedos. MONSSTR can also be used as a cockpit video recorder. This paper will provide an update of the MONSSTR.

The oxidation pathways of methanol (MeOH) have been the subject of intense research due to its possible application as a liquid fuel in polyelectrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells. The design of improved catalysts for MeOH oxidation requires a deep understanding of these complex oxidation pathways. This paper will provide a discussion of the literature concerning the extensive research carried out in acidic and alkaline electrolytes. It will highlight techniques that have proven useful in the determination of product ratios, analysis of surface poisoning, anion adsorption, and oxide formation processes, in addition to the effects of temperature on the MeOH oxidation pathways at bulk polycrystalline platinum (Pt(poly)) electrodes. This discussion will provide a framework with which to begin the analysis of activation energy (E(a)) values. This kinetic parameter may prove useful in characterizing the rate-limiting step of the MeOH oxidation at an electrode surface. This paper will present a procedure for the determination of E(a) values for MeOH oxidation at a Pt(poly) electrode in acidic and alkaline media. Values from 24-76 kJ mol(-1) in acidic media and from 36-86 kJ mol(-1) in alkaline media were calculated and found to be a function of applied potential and direction of the potential sweep in a voltammetric experiment. Factors that influence the magnitude of the calculated E(a) include surface poisoning from MeOH oxidation intermediates, anion adsorption from the electrolyte, pH effects, and oxide formation processes. These factors are all potential, and temperature, dependent and must clearly be addressed when citing E(a) values in the literature. Comparison of E(a) values must be between systems of comparable electrochemical environment and at the same potential. E(a) values obtained on bulk Pt(poly), compared with other catalysts, may give insight into the superiority of other Pt-based catalysts for MeOH oxidation and lead to the development of new catalysts

Methods using novel cathode, electrolyte and oxygen separation materials operating at intermediate temperatures for use in solid oxide fuel cells and ion transport membranes include oxides with perovskite related structures and an ordered arrangement of A site cations. The materials have significantly faster oxygen kinetics than in corresponding disordered perovskites.

Dense and nonporous amorphous aluminum oxide (AmAO) film was deposited onto platinized silicon substrate by sol-gel and spin coating technology. The evaporated aluminum film was deposited onto the AmAO film as top electrode. The hydrated AmAO film was utilized as a solid electrolyte for anodic oxidation of the aluminum electrode (Al) film under high electric field. The hydrated AmAO film was a high efficiency electrolyte, where a 45 nm thick Al film was anodized completely on a 210 nm thick hydrated AmAO film. The current-voltage (I-V) characteristics and breakdown phenomena of a dry and hydrated 210 nm thick AmAO film with a 150 nm thick Al electrode pad were studied in this work. Breakdown voltage of the dry and hydrated 210 nm thick AmAO film were 85 ± 3 V (405 ± 14 MV m(-1)) and 160 ± 5 V (762 ± 24 MV m(-1)), respectively. The breakdown voltage of the hydrated AmAO film increased about twice, owing to the self-healing behavior (anodic oxidation reaction). As an intuitive phenomenon of the self-healing behavior, priority anodic oxidation phenomena was observed in a 210 nm thick hydrated AmAO film with a 65 nm thick Al electrode pad. The results suggested that self-healing behavior (anodic oxidation reaction) was occurring nearby the defect regions of the films during I-V test. It was an effective electrical self-healing method, which would be able to extend to many other simple and complex oxide dielectrics and various composite structures. PMID:27070754

There is a strong need in developing stretchable batteries that can accommodate stretchable or irregularly shaped applications including medical implants, wearable devices and stretchable electronics. Stretchable solid polymer electrolytes are ideal candidates for creating fully stretchable lithium ion batteries mainly due to their mechanical and electrochemical stability, thin-film manufacturability and enhanced safety. However, the characteristics of ion conductivity of polymer electrolytes during tensile deformation are not well understood. Here, we investigate the effects of tensile strain on the ion conductivity of thin-film polyethylene oxide (PEO) through an in situ study. The results of this investigation demonstrate that both in-plane and through-plane ion conductivities of PEO undergo steady and linear growths with respect to the tensile strain. The coefficients of strain-dependent ion conductivity enhancement (CSDICE) for in-plane and through-plane conduction were found to be 28.5 and 27.2, respectively. Tensile stress-strain curves and polarization light microscopy (PLM) of the polymer electrolyte film reveal critical insights on the microstructural transformation of stretched PEO and the potential consequences on ionic conductivity. PMID:26831948

There is a strong need in developing stretchable batteries that can accommodate stretchable or irregularly shaped applications including medical implants, wearable devices and stretchable electronics. Stretchable solid polymer electrolytes are ideal candidates for creating fully stretchable lithium ion batteries mainly due to their mechanical and electrochemical stability, thin-film manufacturability and enhanced safety. However, the characteristics of ion conductivity of polymer electrolytes during tensile deformation are not well understood. Here, we investigate the effects of tensile strain on the ion conductivity of thin-film polyethylene oxide (PEO) through an in situ study. The results of this investigation demonstrate that both in-plane and through-plane ion conductivities of PEO undergo steady and linear growths with respect to the tensile strain. The coefficients of strain-dependent ion conductivity enhancement (CSDICE) for in-plane and through-plane conduction were found to be 28.5 and 27.2, respectively. Tensile stress-strain curves and polarization light microscopy (PLM) of the polymer electrolyte film reveal critical insights on the microstructural transformation of stretched PEO and the potential consequences on ionic conductivity.

An interface between an oxide and an electrolyte gives rise to various processes as exemplified by electrostatic charge accumulation/depletion and electrochemical reactions such as intercalation/decalation under electric field. Here we directly compare typical device operations of those in electric double layer transistor geometry by adopting A-site vacant perovskite WO3 epitaxial thin films as a channel material and two different electrolytes as gating agent. In situ measurements of X-ray diffraction and channel resistance performed during the gating revealed that in both the cases WO3 thin film reaches a new metallic state through multiple phase transitions, accompanied by the change in out-of-plane lattice constant. Electrons are electrostatically accumulated from the interface side with an ionic liquid, while alkaline metal ions are more uniformly intercalated into the film with a polymer electrolyte. We systematically demonstrate this difference in the electrostatic and electrochemical processes, by comparing doped carrier density, lattice deformation behavior, and time constant of the phase transitions. PMID:27502546

Enhanced safety of flexible batteries is an imperative objective due to the intimate interaction of such devices with human organs such as flexible batteries that are integrated with touch-screens or embedded in clothing or space suits. In this study, the fabrication and testing of a high performance thin-film Li-ion battery (LIB) is reported that is both flexible and relatively safer compared to the conventional electrolyte based batteries. The concept is facilitated by the use of solid polymer nanocomposite electrolyte, specifically, composed of polyethylene oxide (PEO) matrix and 1 wt% graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets. The flexible LIB exhibits a high maximum operating voltage of 4.9 V, high capacity of 0.13 mA h cm-2 and an energy density of 4.8 mW h cm-3. The battery is encapsulated using a simple lamination method that is economical and scalable. The laminated battery shows robust mechanical flexibility over 6000 bending cycles and excellent electrochemical performance in both flat and bent configurations. Finite element analysis (FEA) of the LIB provides critical insights into the evolution of mechanical stresses during lamination and bending.Enhanced safety of flexible batteries is an imperative objective due to the intimate interaction of such devices with human organs such as flexible batteries that are integrated with touch-screens or embedded in clothing or space suits. In this study, the fabrication and testing of a high performance thin-film Li-ion battery (LIB) is reported that is both flexible and relatively safer compared to the conventional electrolyte based batteries. The concept is facilitated by the use of solid polymer nanocomposite electrolyte, specifically, composed of polyethylene oxide (PEO) matrix and 1 wt% graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets. The flexible LIB exhibits a high maximum operating voltage of 4.9 V, high capacity of 0.13 mA h cm-2 and an energy density of 4.8 mW h cm-3. The battery is encapsulated using a simple lamination method

Liquid phase catalytic exchange (LPCE) is an effective method for enrichment and removal of tritium from tritiated water. Combined electrolysis catalytic exchange (CECE) process is an attractive application of a LPCE column. We proposed a new process that improves the CECE process. Using a solid oxideelectrolyte (SOE) cell for electrolysis makes the CECE process more energy efficient and eliminates other disadvantages such as large tritium inventory and extremely slow system response. When the cell is used for recombination, the system becomes even more simple, efficiently, reliable and safe. 21 refs., 9 figs.

A driver circuit for a light source including one or more solidstate light sources, a luminaire including the same, and a method of so driving the solidstate light sources are provided. The driver circuit includes a rectifier circuit that receives an alternating current (AC) input voltage and provides a rectified AC voltage. The driver circuit also includes a switching converter circuit coupled to the light source. The switching converter circuit provides a direct current (DC) output to the light source in response to the rectified AC voltage. The driver circuit also includes a mixing circuit, coupled to the light source, to switch current through at least one solidstate light source of the light source in response to each of a plurality of consecutive half-waves of the rectified AC voltage.

The rapid pace of solidstate technological development over the past four decades has resulted in almost universal acceptance of the phrase "Moore's Law," whether it is used accurately to refer to the exponential increase in computer processor power or to refer to some more amorphous scope of rapid change. More recent breakthroughs in LED science and engineering have precipitated a vigorous discussion of the depth and pace with which solidstate light sources will penetrate the $50-billion world-wide lighting market. This discussion has not two perspectives but many, and each perspective can provide valuable insight into key issues that will determine the role that solidstate technology will play in the lighting market of 2020 and beyond.

The authors describe the conversion of an Endeco-174 current meter to a solid-state recording current meter. A removable solid-state module was designed to fit in the space originally occupied by an 8-track tape cartridge. The module contains a CPU and 128 kilobytes of nonvolatile CMOS memory. The solid-state module communicates with any terminal or computer using an RS-232C interface at 4800 baud rate. A primary consideration for conversion was to keep modifications of the current meter to a minimum. The communication protocol was designed to emulate the Endeco tape translation unit, thus the need for a translation unit was eliminated and the original data reduction programs can be used without any modification. After conversion, the data recording section of the current meter contains no moving parts; the storage capacity of the module is equivalent to that of the original tape cartridge.

Magnetic motor starters that rely on bimetal or melting alloy overload protection do not provide the flexibility of solid-state overload technology. The point is best illustrated by the number of different overload relay trip curves that describe tripping time as a function of motor current. Solid-state overloads have a trip curve for a cold start with three-phase current, and a family of trip curves for three-phase conditions where the overload and motor are already warm. An overload relay can also be described by its single-phase trip-time curves for cold and warm initial states. All thermal overloads have single phase trip curves that are similar in shape to their three-phase curves. Slower response to phase loss for motor loads less than locked rotor is inherent in thermal overload relay design. The paper describes the power source problem; single-phase problems; thermal overloads versus solidstate; and thermal NEMA overload.

A new solution for building high power, solidstate lasers for space flight is to fabricate the whole laser resonator in a single (monolithic) structure or alternatively to build a contiguous diffusion bonded or welded structure. Monolithic lasers provide numerous advantages for space flight solid-state lasers by minimizing misalignment concerns. The closed cavity is immune to contamination. The number of components is minimized thus increasing reliability. Bragg mirrors serve as the high reflector and output coupler thus minimizing optical coatings and coating damage. The Bragg mirrors also provide spectral and spatial mode selection for high fidelity. The monolithic structure allows short cavities resulting in short pulses. Passive saturable absorber Q-switches provide a soft aperture for spatial mode filtering and improved pointing stability. We will review our recent commercial and in-house developments toward fully monolithic solid-state lasers.

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are a promising element of comprehensive energy policies due to their direct mechanism for converting the oxidization of fuel, such as hydrogen, into electrical energy. Both very low pressure plasma spray and electrophoretic deposition allow working with high melting temperature SOFC suspension based feedstock on complex surfaces, such as in non-planar SOFC designs. Dense, thin electrolytes of ideal composition for SOFCs can be fabricated with each of these processes, while compositional control is achieved with dissolved dopant compounds that are incorporated into the coating during deposition. In the work reported, sub-micron 8 mole % Y2O3-ZrO2 (YSZ) and gadolinia-doped ceria (GDC), powders, including those in suspension with scandium-nitrate dopants, were deposited on NiO-YSZ anodes, via very low pressure suspension plasma spray (VLPSPS) at Sandia National Laboratories' Thermal Spray Research Laboratory and electrophoretic deposition (EPD) at Purdue University. Plasma spray was carried out in a chamber held at 320 - 1300 Pa, with the plasma composed of argon, hydrogen, and helium. EPD was characterized utilizing constant current deposition at 10 mm electrode separation, with deposits sintered from 1300 -- 1500 °C for 2 hours. The role of suspension constituents in EPD was analyzed based on a parametric study of powder loading, powder specific surface area, polyvinyl butyral (PVB) content, polyethyleneimine (PEI) content, and acetic acid content. Increasing PVB content and reduction of particle specific surface area were found to eliminate the formation of cracks when drying. PEI and acetic acid content were used to control suspension stability and the adhesion of deposits. Additionally, EPD was used to fabricate YSZ/GDC bilayer electrolyte systems. The resultant YSZ electrolytes were 2-27 microns thick and up to 97% dense. Electrolyte performance as part of a SOFC system with screen printed LSCF cathodes was evaluated with peak

Polymer chain orientation in tensile-stretched poly(ethylene oxide)-lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate polymer electrolytes are investigated with polarized infrared spectroscopy as a function of the degree of strain and salt composition (ether oxygen atom to lithium ion ratios of 20:1, 15:1, and 10:1). The 1359 and 1352 cm(-1) bands are used to probe the crystalline PEO and P(EO)(3)LiCF(3)SO(3) domains, respectively, allowing a direct comparison of chain orientation for the two phases. Two-dimensional correlation FT-IR spectroscopy indicates that the two crystalline domains align at the same rate as the polymer electrolytes are stretched. Quantitative measurements of polymer chain orientation obtained through dichroic infrared spectroscopy show that chain orientation predominantly occurs between strain values of 150% and 250%, regardless of salt composition investigated. There are few changes in chain orientation for either phase when the films are further elongated to a strain of 300%; however, the PEO domains are slightly more oriented at the high strain values. The spectroscopic data are consistent with stretching-induced melt-recrystallization of the unoriented crystalline domains in the solution-cast polymer films. Stretching the films pulls polymer chains from the crystalline domains, which subsequently recrystallize with the polymer helices parallel to the stretch direction. If lithium ion conduction in crystalline polymer electrolytes is viewed as consisting of two major components (facile intra-chain lithium ion conduction and slow helix-to-helix inter-grain hopping), then alignment of the polymer helices will affect the ion conduction pathways for these materials by reducing the number of inter-grain hops required to migrate through the polymer electrolyte. PMID:22184475

This dissertation presents an innovative solid-state current amplifier based on impact-ionization. Unlike avalanche photodetectors which use the same amplification principle, this device can be integrated with any external current source. A discrete amplifier was built on a silicon surface using standard CMOS fabrication processes including lithography, oxidation, ion implantation, diffusion, chemical wet etching, metal deposition, annealing, and rapid thermal processing. Testing was performed by connecting the device to a silicon photodiode, indium-gallium-arsenide photodiodes, and a function generator to demonstrate its compatibility with arbitrary current sources. Current gains above 100 along with pre-amplified leakage currents of less than 10 nA were measured. This amplifier can also be cascaded to achieve very high gains similar to the photomultiplier tube but with much smaller size and no vacuum environment required. Testing was done by amplifying the output signal from an external silicon photodiode. Current gains over 600 were measured when two amplifying devices were cascaded. Additionally, the gain saturation phenomenon of the amplifier due to the space-charge effect is investigated. The measured gain saturation is observed to match very well with the theoretical based predictions. We also present a design rule for obtaining high current gain from the cascaded structure without experiencing gain saturation. Initial bandwidth of the SIM when connected to a silicon photodiode was measured to be about 300 kHz. As we replace the photodiode by a function generator, the bandwidth improved to 450 kHz which is the frequency limit of the system. These results were made on the first generation of SIM devices. We discovered that the space-charge resistance Rsc plays a significant role in determining frequency response. In future generations of the device, we can begin with optimizing the device geometry to reduce this resistance. Also, we can reduce the size of the

Selectivity and resolution of solid-state NMR spectra are determined by dispersion of local magnetic fields originating from relaxation effects and orientation-dependent resonant frequencies of spin nuclei. Theoretically, the orientation-dependent resonant frequencies can be represented by a set of irreducible tensors. Among these tensors, only zero rank tensors (scalar operators) are capable of providing high resolution NMR spectra. This thesis presents a series of new developments in high resolution solid-state NMR concerning the reconstruction of various scalar operators motion in solid C{sub 60} is analyzed.

Solidstate lasers have remained a vibrant area of research because several major innovations expanded their capability. Major innovations are presented with emphasis focused on the laser efficiency. A product of efficiencies approach is developed and applied to describe laser performance. Efficiency factors are presented in closed form where practical and energy transfer effects are included where needed. In turn, efficiency factors are used to estimate threshold and slope efficiency, allowing a facile estimate of performance. Spectroscopic, thermal, and mechanical data are provided for common solidstate laser materials.

The miniaturization of power sources is important for meeting the requirements of low power, mass and volume for nano- or microelectronics and MEMS devices. In this paper a dexterous microfabrication process was developed for preparing microscale solid-state lithium batteries. The active size of a single microbattery is 500 µm × 500 µm and its thickness is 1.5 µm. LiCoO2 films prepared by RF sputtering, then annealed at moderate temperature (500 °C), were employed as a cathode electrode, and LiPON and Al films were used as a solid electrolyte and an anode electrode, respectively. An individual microbattery delivers a capacity of about 17 nAh at a current of 5 nA at the initial cycles, and can be operated at as high as 40 nA discharge current.

Sol-gel derived cross-linked PEO/siloxane xerogels (designated as di-ureasils) were prepared using lithium trifluoromethanesulfonyl imide (LiTFSI) as a guest salt. In this paper we describe the assembly of a prototype solid-state electrochromic device (ECD) based on a four-layer sandwich structure, with the following configuration: glass/IZO/WO 3/polymer electrolyte/IZO/glass. The electrochromic switching performance of these devices was characterized as a function of salt concentration. The average transmittance in the visible region of the spectrum was above 69% for all the bleached samples characterized. After coloration the structures assembled with d-U(900) nLiTFSI presented an average transmittance in the visible wavelength region above 22% and an optical density above 0.49.

This work reports the formation of self-organized Zircaloy-4 (Zr-4) oxide nanotubes in viscous organic ethylene glycol (EG) electrolyte containing a small amount of fluoride salt and deionized (DI) water via an electrochemical anodization. The structure, morphology, and composition of the Zr-4 oxide nanotubes were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), EDX, and XPS. SEM results showed that the length of the nanotubes is approximately 13 μm, and TEM results showed that the inner diameter of the Zr-4 oxide nanotubes is approximately 20 nm with average wall thickness of approximately 7 nm. XRD and selected area electron diffraction pattern (SAED) results confirmed that the as-anodized Zr-4 oxide nanotubes have cubic crystalline structure. Both cubic and monoclinic phases were found after annealing of Zr-4 oxide nanotubes. The tubular structure morphology of Zr-4 oxide nanotubes did not remain intact after annealing which is attributed to the elimination of F species from the annealed nanotubes. PMID:25328503

The binary Al-Mg synthetic alloys were prepared in a vacuum/atmosphere controlled furnace with the addition of 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 7, and 15 wt.% pure Mg into pure aluminum as substrate material. The surfaces of the Al-Mg alloys and pure aluminum were coated for 120 min by plasma electrolyticoxidation in the same electrolyte of 12 g/L sodium silicate and 2 g/L KOH in distilled water. The coating was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, profilometry and Vickers microhardness measurements. There regions of loose outer layer, dense inner layer with precipitate like particles of {alpha}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and a thin transition layer were identified for the coated samples. The coating thickness increases from 85 to 150 {mu}m with Mg contents in the alloys. The surface morphology becomes more porous and consequently surface roughness tends to increase with plasma electrolyticoxidation treatment and further with Mg content. The increase in magnesium content reduces the formation of {alpha}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and crystalline mullite phases in the coating and decreases microhardness of coating. The Mg concentration is constant throughout the other loose and dense regions of coating though it gradually decreases in the thin inner region. - Research Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The average thickness of PEO coating of Al-Mg alloys increases with Mg content. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The addition of Mg reduces and prevents the formation of {alpha}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and mullite. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The surface roughness increases with Mg content in the Al-Mg alloys. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The hardness values of the coating decreases with the Mg amount in the substrate. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The Mg concentration is constant throughout the main regions of coating.

Ionic/electronic hybrid devices with synaptic functions are considered to be the essential building blocks for neuromorphic systems and brain-inspired computing. Here, artificial synapses based on indium-zinc-oxide (IZO) transistors gated by nanogranular SiO2 proton-conducting electrolyte films are fabricated on glass substrates. Spike-timing dependent plasticity and paired-pulse facilitation are successfully mimicked in an individual bottom-gate transistor. Most importantly, dynamic logic and dendritic integration established by spatiotemporally correlated spikes are also mimicked in dendritic transistors with two in-plane gates as the presynaptic input terminals.Ionic/electronic hybrid devices with synaptic functions are considered to be the essential building blocks for neuromorphic systems and brain-inspired computing. Here, artificial synapses based on indium-zinc-oxide (IZO) transistors gated by nanogranular SiO2 proton-conducting electrolyte films are fabricated on glass substrates. Spike-timing dependent plasticity and paired-pulse facilitation are successfully mimicked in an individual bottom-gate transistor. Most importantly, dynamic logic and dendritic integration established by spatiotemporally correlated spikes are also mimicked in dendritic transistors with two in-plane gates as the presynaptic input terminals. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: The structures and transfer characteristics of the IZO junctionless transistor working in bottom-gate mode and in-plane gate mode. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr05882d

Plasma electrolyticoxidation (PEO) has attracted widespread attention owing to the simplicity of operation and the excellent properties of the formed coating. However, wider applications of PEO have been limited due to the high power consumption. This work describes the design and performance of a novel technique named shorter distance PEO (SD-PEO), which is intended for lowering the energy consumption. The key feature of the method is the application of grid cathode to eliminate the gaseous envelope effect and to block of the exchange of charge carries during SD-PEO process. Compared to PEO carried out at a normal electrode distance, e.g., 50 mm, both the voltage drop and the joule heat consumed in the electrolyte at a shorter distance, e.g., of 5 mm (SD-PEO) are relatively small. Consequently, the energy consumption rendered by the novel SD-PEO method may decrease by more than 25%. Our results reveal that SD-PEO is a low energy-consumption microarc oxidation technique with more potential in industry applications. PMID:21034088

An inert anode for the electrolytic production of metals such as aluminum is disclosed. The inert anode includes a ceramic oxide material preferably made from NiO, Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 and CoO. The inert anode composition may comprise the following mole fractions of NiO, Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 and CoO: 0.15 to 0.99 NiO; 0.0001 to 0.85 Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 ; and 0.0001 to 0.45 CoO. The inert anode may optionally include other oxides and/or at least one metal phase, such as Cu, Ag, Pd, Pt, Au, Rh, Ru, Ir and/or Os. The Ni--Fe--Co--O ceramic material exhibits very low solubility in Hall cell baths used to produce aluminum.

An inert anode for the electrolytic production of metals such as aluminum is disclosed. The inert anode includes a ceramic oxide material preferably made from NiO, Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 and ZnO. The inert anode composition may comprise the following mole fractions of NiO, Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 and ZnO: 0.2 to 0.99 NiO; 0.0001 to 0.8 Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 ; and 0.0001 to 0.3 ZnO. The inert anode may optionally include other oxides and/or at least one metal phase, such as Cu, Ag, Pd, Pt, Au, Rh, Ru, Ir and/or Os. The Ni--Fe--Co--O ceramic material exhibits very low solubility in Hall cell baths used to produce aluminum.

Myricetin (MYR) is a natural compound that has been investigated as a chemopreventative agent. MYR has been shown to suppresses ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein expression and reduce the incidence of UVB-induced skin tumors in mice. Despite MYR's promise as a therapeutic agent, minimal information is available to guide the progression of formulations designed for future drug development. Here, data is presented describing the solid-state and solution characterization of MYR. Investigation into the solid-state properties of MYR identified four different crystal forms, two hydrates (MYR I and MYR II) and two metastable forms (MYR IA and MYR IIA). From solubility studies, it was evident that all forms are very insoluble (<5 μg/ml) in pure water. MYR I was found to be the most stable form at 23, 35, and 56°C. Stability determination indicated that MYR undergoes rapid apparent first-order degradation under basic pH conditions, and that degradation was influenced by buffer species. Apparent first-order degradation was also seen when MYR was introduced to an oxidizing solution. Improved stability was achieved after introducing 0.1% antioxidants to the solution. MYR was found to have good stability following exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR), which is a consideration for topical applications. Finally, a partitioning study indicated that MYR possess a log P of 2.94 which, along with its solid-state properties, contributes to its poor aqueous solubility. Both the solid-state properties and solution stability of MYR are important to consider when developing future formulations. PMID:25986594

In order to analyse the effects of counter electrodes on photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), different electrodes were used as the counter electrodes for all-solid-state TiO2-based DSSCs. An inorganic solid-stateelectrolyte, CsSnI2.95F0.05, was selected to couple with N719 dye-sensitized TiO2 nanorod arrays to fabricate the DSSCs. Fluorine doped tin oxide transparent conducting glass (FTO), platinum coated FTO (Pt/FTO), graphite coated FTO (graphite/FTO), and graphite coated common glass (graphite/glass) were investigated as the counter electrodes, and the cells composed of the corresponding electrodes above have power-conversion efficiencies of 2.17%, 9.84%, 7.62%, and 3.45%, respectively. Our findings indicate that due to its unique catalytic and conducting properties, graphite can replace both Pt and FTO as a counter electrode to reduce the fabrication cost of all-solid-state TiO2-based DSSCs.

The effects of SnSO4 as an electrolyte additive on the microstructure of positive plate and electrochemical performance of lead acid battery made from a novel leady oxide are investigated. The novel leady oxide is synthesized through leaching of spent lead paste in citric acid solution. The novel leady oxides are used to prepare working electrode (WE) subjected to electrochemical cyclic voltammetry (CV) tests. Moreover, the novel leady oxides are used as active materials of positive plate assembled as a testing battery of 1.85 A h capacity. In CV tests, SEM/EDX results show that the major crystalline phase of the paste in WE after CV cycles is PbSO4. The larger column-shaped PbSO4 crystals easily generate in the paste of WE without an electrolyte additive of SnSO4. However, PbSO4 crystals significantly become smaller with the addition of SnSO4 in the electrolyte. In batteries testing, SEM results show that an electrolyte additive of SnSO4 could effectively decrease PbO2 particle size in the positive active materials of the teardown battery at the end of charging procedure. It is indicated that an electrolyte additive of SnSO4 could have a positive influence on restraining larger particles of irreversible sulfation in charge/discharge cycles of battery testing.

An apparatus for use with a solid-state NMR spectrometer includes a special imaging probe with linear, high-field strength gradient fields and high-power broadband RF coils using a back projection method for data acquisition and image reconstruction, and a real-time pulse programmer adaptable for use by a conventional computer for complex high speed pulse sequences.

The recent developments in nanoscale solid-state cooling are reviewed. This includes both theoretical and experimental studies of different physical concepts, as well as nanostructured material design and device configurations. We primarily focus on thermoelectric, thermionic and thermo-magnetic coolers. Particular emphasis is given to the concepts based on metal–semiconductor superlattices, graded materials, non-equilibrium thermoelectric devices, Thomson coolers, and photon assisted Peltier coolers as promising methods for efficient solid-state cooling. Thermomagnetic effects such as magneto–Peltier and Nernst–Ettingshausen cooling are briefly described and recent advances and future trends in these areas are reviewed. The ongoing progress in solid-state cooling concepts such as spin-calorimetrics, electrocalorics, non-equilibrium/nonlinear Peltier devices, superconducting junctions and two-dimensional materials are also elucidated and practical achievements are reviewed. We explain the thermoreflectance thermal imaging microscopy and the transient Harman method as two unique techniques developed for characterization of thermoelectric microrefrigerators. The future prospects for solid-state cooling are briefly summarized.

Solidstate switch has following capabilities: (1) Hybrid or IC from compatible with direct mounting on solar array substrate; (2) Continuous signal is not required to hold it in either on or off state; (3) Separate signal lines for on and off control; (4) Electrically isolated from input signals; and (5) Current surges will not cause switch failure.

Solidstate neodymium lasers are considered candidates for space-based polar-pumped laser for continuous power transmission. Laser performance for three different slab laser configurations has been computed to show the excellent power capability of such systems if heat problems can be solved. Ideas involving geometries and materials are offered as potential solutions to the heat problem.

Bacteria associate with surfaces and one another by elaborating an extracellular matrix to encapsulate cells, creating communities termed biofilms. Biofilms are beneficial in some ecological niches, but also contribute to the pathogenesis of serious and chronic infectious diseases. New approaches and quantitative measurements are needed to define the composition and architecture of bacterial biofilms to help drive the development of strategies to interfere with biofilm assembly. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is uniquely suited to the examination of insoluble and complex macromolecular and whole-cell systems. This article highlights three examples that implement solid-state NMR to deliver insights into bacterial biofilm composition and changes in cell-wall composition as cells transition to the biofilm lifestyle. Most recently, solid-state NMR measurements provided a total accounting of the protein and polysaccharide components in the extracellular matrix of an Escherichia coli biofilm and transformed our qualitative descriptions of matrix composition into chemical parameters that permit quantitative comparisons among samples. We present additional data for whole biofilm samples (cells plus the extracellular matrix) that complement matrix-only analyses. The study of bacterial biofilms by solid-state NMR is an exciting avenue ripe with many opportunities and we close the article by articulating some outstanding questions and future directions in this area.

The recent developments in nanoscale solid-state cooling are reviewed. This includes both theoretical and experimental studies of different physical concepts, as well as nanostructured material design and device configurations. We primarily focus on thermoelectric, thermionic and thermo-magnetic coolers. Particular emphasis is given to the concepts based on metal-semiconductor superlattices, graded materials, non-equilibrium thermoelectric devices, Thomson coolers, and photon assisted Peltier coolers as promising methods for efficient solid-state cooling. Thermomagnetic effects such as magneto-Peltier and Nernst-Ettingshausen cooling are briefly described and recent advances and future trends in these areas are reviewed. The ongoing progress in solid-state cooling concepts such as spin-calorimetrics, electrocalorics, non-equilibrium/nonlinear Peltier devices, superconducting junctions and two-dimensional materials are also elucidated and practical achievements are reviewed. We explain the thermoreflectance thermal imaging microscopy and the transient Harman method as two unique techniques developed for characterization of thermoelectric microrefrigerators. The future prospects for solid-state cooling are briefly summarized. PMID:27519021

An accessory for use with a solid-state NMR spectrometer includes a special imaging probe with linear, high-field strength gradient fields and high-power broadband RF coils using a back projection method for data acquisition and image reconstruction, and a real-time pulse programmer adaptable for use by a conventional computer for complex high speed pulse sequences.

Packing efficiency and crystal density can be calculated from basic geometric principles employing the Pythagorean theorem, if the unit-cell structure is known. The procedures illustrated have applicability in courses such as general chemistry, intermediate and advanced inorganic, materials science, and solid-state physics.

Density functional theory (DFT) has been used in many fields of the physical sciences, but none so successfully as in the solidstate. From its origins in condensed matter physics, it has expanded into materials science, high-pressure physics and mineralogy, solid-state chemistry and more, powering entire computational subdisciplines. Modern DFT simulation codes can calculate a vast range of structural, chemical, optical, spectroscopic, elastic, vibrational and thermodynamic phenomena. The ability to predict structure–property relationships has revolutionized experimental fields, such as vibrational and solid-state NMR spectroscopy, where it is the primary method to analyse and interpret experimental spectra. In semiconductor physics, great progress has been made in the electronic structure of bulk and defect states despite the severe challenges presented by the description of excited states. Studies are no longer restricted to known crystallographic structures. DFT is increasingly used as an exploratory tool for materials discovery and computational experiments, culminating in ex nihilo crystal structure prediction, which addresses the long-standing difficult problem of how to predict crystal structure polymorphs from nothing but a specified chemical composition. We present an overview of the capabilities of solid-state DFT simulations in all of these topics, illustrated with recent examples using the CASTEP computer program. PMID:24516184

Major advances in solidstate laser technology historically have been preceded by advances in pumping technology. The helical lamp used to pump the early ruby lasers was superseded by the linear flashlamp now used to pump Nd:YAG lasers. The next advance in pumping technology is the diode laser array. The improvements in power and efficiency of the diode laser coupled with the fortuitous spectral overlap of the diode laser emission wavelength with the Nd ion absorption bands near 805 nm have led to a revolution in solidstate laser capability. Progress has been rapid with new ions and wavelengths reported in the near infrared from 946 nm to 2010 nm. Frequency extension via nonlinear interactions has led to green and blue sources of coherent radiation. Linewidths of less than 10 kHz have been demonstrated. Overall electrical efficiencies of greater than 10% have been achieved. As diode laser sources decrease in cost, high average power diode laser pumped solidstate laser sources will become available. Power levels exceeding 1 kW appear possible. Potential applications of these compact all solidstate laser sources to spectroscopy, quantum noise limited sensors, astronomy, and materials processing will be discussed.

Solidstate dc-rf converters offer potential improvements in reliability, mass and low voltage operation, provided that anticipated efficiencies in excess of 80 percent can be realized. Field effect transistors offer the greatest potential in the SPS frequency band at 2.45 GHz. To implement this approach it is essential that means be found to sum the power of many relatively low power solidstate sources in a low-loss manner, and that means be provided to properly control the phase of the outputs of the large number of solidstate sources required. To avoid the power combining losses associated with circuit hybrids it was proposed that the power from multiple solidstate amplifiers be combined by direct coupling of each amplifier's output to the radiating antenna structure. The selected power-combining antenna consists of a unique printed (metalized) microstrip circuit on a ceramic type dielectric substrate which is backed by a shallow lightweight aluminum cavity which sums the power of four microwave sources. The antenna behaves like two one-half wavelength slot-line antennas coupled together via their common cavity structure.

The final design and specifications for a solidstate, S-band, power amplifier is reported. Modifications from a previously proposed design were incorporated to improve efficiency and meet input overdrive and noise floor requirements. Reports on the system design, driver amplifier, power amplifier, and voltage and current limiter are included along with a discussion of the testing program.

In this work the effect of thermal annealing on the surface composition, structure and catalytic activity in CO oxidation of NiO + CuO/TiO2/Ti composites is studied. The composites have been obtained by a plasma electrolyticoxidation (PEO) technique, followed by impregnation in a solution of nickel (II) and copper (II) salts and air annealing. The structures contain ˜20 at% Ni and ˜12 at% Cu. It has been shown that the additional air annealing of such structures at temperature above 750 °C results in phosphate crystallization in the coatings and decreasing of Cu concentration in the surface layers. A growth of filiform nanocrystals containing mainly oxygen compounds of nickel and titanium on the coating surface takes place at the temperatures above 700 °C. The nanocrystals have a diameter of 50-200 nm and lengths below 10 μm. Such changes result in decreasing of catalytic activity of the composites in CO oxidation. At the same time the ascertained regularities may be of interest for obtaining the Ni-containing oxide catalysts with an extended surface, perspective for usage in organic catalysis or for preparing oxide nanofibers.

In this work, we investigated the bioactivity of anodic oxide coatings on Ti-13Nb-13Zr alloy by plasma electrolyticoxidation (PEO) in solutions containing Ca and P. The bioactive properties of the films were determined by immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF), and their biocompatibility was examined using adult human bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs). The oxide layers were characterised based on their surface morphology (SEM, AFM, profilometry) as well as on their chemical and phase compositions (EDX, XRF, XRD, XPS). We report that anodic oxidation of Ti-13Nb-13Zr led to the development of relatively thick anodic oxide films that were enriched in Ca and P in the form of phosphate compounds. Furthermore, the treatment generated rough surfaces with a significant amount of open pores. The surfaces were essentially amorphous, with small amounts of crystalline phases (anatase and rutile) being observed, depending on the PEO process parameters. SBF soaking led to the precipitation of small crystals after one week of experiment. During culturing of hBMSCs on the bioactive Ti-13Nb-13Zr surfaces the differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells toward osteoblasts was promoted, which indicated a potential of the modified materials to improve implant osseointegration. PMID:25686936

In order to better understand the physical electrochemical changes that take place in lithium ion batteries and asymmetric hybrid supercapacitors solidstate nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has been useful to probe and identify changes on the atomic and molecular level. NMR is used to characterize the local environment and investigate the dynamical properties of materials used in electrochemical storage devices (ESD). NMR investigations was used to better understand the chemical composition of the solid electrolyte interphase which form on the negative and positive electrodes of lithium batteries as well as identify the breakdown products that occur in the operation of the asymmetric hybrid supercapacitors. The use of nano-structured particles in the development of new materials causes changes in the electrical, structural and other material properties. NMR was used to investigate the affects of fluorinated and non fluorinated single wall nanotubes (SWNT). In this thesis three experiments were performed using solidstate NMR samples to better characterize them. The electrochemical reactions of a lithium ion battery determine its operational profile. Numerous means have been employed to enhance battery cycle life and operating temperature range. One primary means is the choice and makeup of the electrolyte. This study focuses on the characteristics of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) that is formed on the electrodes surface during the charge discharge cycle. The electrolyte in this study was altered with several additives in order to determine the influence of the additives on SEI formation as well as the intercalation and de-intercalation of lithium ions in the electrodes. 7Li NMR studies where used to characterize the SEI and its composition. Solidstate NMR studies of the carbon enriched acetonitrile electrolyte in a nonaqueous asymmetric hybrid supercapacitor were performed. Magic angle spinning (MAS) coupled with cross polarization NMR

The growing need for alternative energy and increased demand for mobile technology require higher density energy storage. Existing battery technologies, such as lithium ion, are limited by theoretical energy density as well as safety issues. Other battery chemistries are promising options for dramatically increasing energy density. Safety can be improved by replacing the flammable, reactive liquids used in existing lithium-ion battery electrolytes with polymer electrolytes. Block copolymers are uniquely suited for this task because ionic conductivity and mechanical strength, both important properties in battery formulation, can be independently controlled. In this study, lithium batteries were assembled using lithium metal as negative electrode, polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene oxide) copolymer with lithium salt as electrolyte, and a positive electrode. The positive electrode consisted of polymer electrolyte for ion conduction, carbon for electron conduction, and an active material. Batteries were charged and discharged over many cycles. The battery cycling results were compared to a conventional battery chemistry.

We discovered a method of applying forward pulsed bias to recover the degradation of quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Up to 30.7% of the power conversion efficiency (η) of a degraded poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) based DSSC was recovered by a double-pulse. The recovered η remained higher than that before the double-pulse treatment for at least 28 days. It is deduced that the blocking of ion-transport channels in the quasi-solid-stateelectrolyte causes degradation of the DSSCs. This study will shed light on the efficiency enhancement and long-term stability of quasi-solid-state DSSCs. PMID:23545782

A novel electrolyte additive, dimethyl phenylphosphonite (DMPP), is reported in this paper to be able to improve significantly the cyclic stability of LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 cathode of high voltage lithium ion battery at elevated temperature. When experiencing charge/discharge cycling at 50 °C with 1C (1C = 146.7 mAh g-1) rate in a standard (STD) electrolyte (1.0 M LiPF6 in ethylene carbonate (EC)/dimethyl carbonate (DMC), EC/DMC = 1/2 in volume), LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 suffers serious discharge capacity decaying, with a capacity retention of 42% after 100 cycles. With adding 0.5% DMPP into the STD electrolyte, the capacity retention is increased to 91%. This improvement can be ascribed to the preferential oxidation of DMPP to the STD electrolyte and the subsequent formation of a protective film on LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4, which suppresses the electrolyte decomposition and protects LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 from destruction. Theoretical calculations together with voltammetric analyses demonstrate the preferential oxidation of DMPP and the consequent suppression of electrolyte decomposition, while the observations from scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectronic spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy confirm the protection that DMPP provides for LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4.

Plasma spray coating techniques allow unique control of electrolyte microstructures and properties as well as facilitating deposition on complex surfaces. This can enable significantly improved solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), including non-planar designs. SOFCs are promising because they directly convert the oxidization of fuel into electrical energy. However, electrolytes deposited using conventional plasma spray are porous and often greater than 50 microns thick. One solution to form dense, thin electrolytes of ideal composition for SOFCs is to combine suspension plasma spray (SPS) with very low pressure plasma spray (VLPPS). Increased compositional control is achieved due to dissolved dopant compounds in the suspension that are incorporated into the coating during plasma spraying. Thus, it is possible to change the chemistry of the feed stock during deposition. In the work reported, suspensions of sub-micron diameter 8 mol.% Y2O3-ZrO2 (YSZ) powders were sprayed on NiO-YSZ anodes at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) Thermal Spray Research Laboratory (TSRL). These coatings were compared to the same suspensions doped with scandium nitrate at 3 to 8 mol%. The pressure in the chamber was 2.4 torr and the plasma was formed from a combination of argon and hydrogen gases. The resultant electrolytes were well adhered to the anode substrates and were approximately 10 microns thick. The microstructure of the resultant electrolytes will be reported as well as the electrolyte performance as part of a SOFC system via potentiodynamic testing and impedance spectroscopy.

Self-discharge behavior of layered lithium-rich oxide as cathode of lithium ion battery in a carbonated-based electrolyte is understood, and a simple boron-containing compound, trimethyl borate (TMB), is used as an electrolyte additive to suppress this self-discharge. It is found that layered lithium-rich oxide charged under 4.8 V in additive-free electrolyte suffers severe self-discharge and TMB is an effective electrolyte additive for self-discharge suppression. Physical characterizations from XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS and ICP-MS demonstrate that the crystal structure of the layered lithium-rich oxide collapses due to the chemical interaction between the charged oxide and electrolyte. When TMB is applied, the structural integrity of the oxide is maintained due to the protective cathode film generated from the preferential oxidation of TMB.

The electrochemical oxidation of ruthenocene, RuCp(2) (Cp = eta(5)-C(5)H(5)), 1, has been studied in dichloromethane using a supporting electrolyte containing either the [B(C(6)F(5))(4)](-) (TFAB) or the [B(C(6)H(3)(CF(3))(2))(4)](-) (BArF(24)) counteranion. A quasi-Nernstian process was observed in both cases, with E(1/2) values of 0.41 and 0.57 V vs FeCp(2) in the respective electrolyte media. The ruthenocenium ion 1(+) equilibrates with a metal-metal bonded dimer [Ru(2)Cp(4)](2+), 2(2+), that is increasingly preferred at low temperatures. Dimerization equilibrium constants determined by digital simulation of cyclic voltammetry (CV) curves were in the range of 10(2)-10(4) M(-1) at temperatures of 256 to 298 K. Near room temperature, and particularly when BArF(24) is the counteranion, the dinuclear species [Ru(2)Cp(2)(sigma:eta(5)-C(5)H(4))(2)] (2+), 3(2+), in which each metal is sigma-bonded to a cyclopentadienyl ring, was the preferred electrolyticoxidation product. Cathodic reduction of 3(2+) regenerated ruthenocene. The two dinuclear products, 2(2+) and 3(2+), were characterized by (1)H NMR spectroscopy on anodically electrolyzed solutions of 1 at low temperatures in CD(2)Cl(2)/[NBu(4)][BArF(24)]. The variable temperature NMR behavior of these solutions showed that 3(2+) and 2(2+) take part in a thermal equilibrium, the latter being dominant at the lowest temperatures. Ruthenocene hydride, [1-H](+), was also identified as being present in the electrolysis solutions. The oxidation of ruthenocene is shown to be an inherent one-electron process, giving a ruthenocenium ion which is highly susceptible to reactions that allow it to regain an 18-electron configuration. In a dry non-donor solvent, and in the absence of nucleophiles, this electronic configuration is attained by self-reactions involving formation of Ru-Ru or Ru-C bonds. The present data offer a mechanistic explanation for the previously described results on the chemical oxidation of osmocene (Droege, M

Parametric studies were performed on a lithium-based electrolytic reduction process at bench-scale to investigate the behavior of oxygen ions in the reduction of uranium oxide for various electrochemical cell configurations. Specifically, a series of eight electrolytic reduction runs was performed in a common salt bath of LiCl – 1 wt% Li2O. The variable parameters included fuel basket containment material (i.e., stainless steel wire mesh and sintered stainless steel) and applied electrical charge (i.e., 75 – 150% of the theoretical charge for complete reduction of uranium oxide in a basket to uranium metal). Samples of the molten salt electrolyte were taken at regular intervals throughout each run and analyzed to produce a time plot of Li2O concentrations in the bulk salt over the course of the runs. Following each run, the fuel basket was sectioned and the fuel was removed. Samples of the fuel were analyzed for the extent of uranium oxide reduction to metal and for the concentration of salt constituents, i.e., LiCl and Li2O. Extents of uranium oxide reduction ranged from 43 – 70% in stainless steel wire mesh baskets and 8 – 33 % in sintered stainless steel baskets. The concentrations of Li2O in the salt phase of the fuel product from the stainless steel wire mesh baskets ranged from 6.2 – 9.2 wt%, while those for the sintered stainless steel baskets ranged from 26 – 46 wt%. Another series of tests was performed to investigate the dissolution of Li2O in LiCl at 650 °C across various cathode containment materials (i.e., stainless steel wire mesh, sintered stainless steel and porous magnesia) and configurations (i.e., stationary and rotating cylindrical baskets). Dissolution of identical loadings of Li2O particulate reached equilibrium within one hour for stationary stainless steel wire mesh baskets, while the same took several hours for sintered stainless steel and porous magnesia baskets. Rotation of an annular cylindrical basket of stainless steel

An optimized redundant array of solidstate devices may include an array of one or more optimized solid-state devices and a controller coupled to the solid-state devices for managing the solid-state devices. The controller may be configured to globally coordinate the garbage collection activities of each of said optimized solid-state devices, for instance, to minimize the degraded performance time and increase the optimal performance time of the entire array of devices.

We first report an innovative method, which we refer to as interfacial liquid plasma polymerization, to chemically cross-link ionic liquids (ILs). By this method, a series of all-solidstate, free-standing polymer electrolytes is successfully fabricated where ILs are used as building blocks and ethylene oxide-based surfactants are employed as an assisted-cross-linking agent. The thickness of the films is controlled by the plasma exposure time or the ratio of surfactant to ILs. The chemical structure and properties of the polymer electrolyte are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Importantly, the underlying polymerization mechanism of the cross-linked IL-based polymer electrolyte is studied to show that fluoroborate or halide anions of ILs together with the aid of a small amount of surfactants having ethylene oxide groups are necessary to form cross-linked network structures of the polymer electrolyte. The ionic conductivity of the obtained polymer electrolyte is 2.28 × 10(-3) S·cm(-1), which is a relatively high value for solid polymer electrolytes synthesized at room temperature. This study can serve as a cornerstone for developing all-solidstate polymer electrolytes with promising properties for next-generation electrochemical devices. PMID:27281115

In this work, we present how a low-cost HP Deskjet 1000 inkjet printer was used to fabricate a 1.2 μm thin, dense and gas tight 16 cm2 solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) electrolyte. The electrolyte was printed using an ink made of highly diluted (<4 vol.%) nanometric yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) powders (50 nm in size) in an aqueous medium. The ink was designed to be a highly dispersed, long term stable colloidal suspension, with optimal printability characteristics. The electrolyte was made by a multiple printing procedure, which ensures coverage of the several flaws occurring in a single printing pass. Together with an optimized sintering procedure this resulted in good adhesion and densification of the electrolyte. The SOFC exhibited a close-to-theoretical open circuit voltage and a remarkable peak power density above 1.5 W cm-2 at 800 °C.

Described is a thin-film battery, especially a thin-film microbattery, and a method for making same having application as a backup or primary integrated power source for electronic devices. The battery includes a novel electrolyte amorphous lithium phosphorus oxynitride which is electrochemically stable and does not react with the lithium anode and a novel vanadium oxide cathode Configured as a microbattery, the battery can be fabricated directly onto a semiconductor chip, onto the semiconductor die or onto any portion of the chip carrier. The battery can be fabricated to any specified size or shape to meet the requirements of a particular application. The battery is fabricated of solidstate materials and is capable of operation between -15.degree. C. and 150.degree. C.

Described is a thin-film battery, especially a thin-film microbattery, and a method for making the same having application as a backup or primary integrated power source for electronic devices. The battery includes a novel electrolyte amorphous lithium phosphorus oxynitride which is electrochemically stable and does not react with the lithium anode and a novel vanadium oxide cathode Configured as a microbattery, the battery can be fabricated directly onto a semiconductor chip, onto the semiconductor die or onto any portion of the chip carrier. The battery can be fabricated to any specified size or shape to meet the requirements of a particular application. The battery is fabricated of solidstate materials and is capable of operation between {minus}15 C and 150 C. 9 figs.

Graphical abstract: Display Omitted Highlights: ► GaN nanocrystalline was prepared via a solid-state reacion at relatively low temperature. ► The sizes and crystallinities of the GaN samples obtained at the different temperatures are investigated. ► The GaN sample has oxidation resistance and good thermal stability below 1000 °C. -- Abstract: Nanocrystalline gallium nitride was synthesized by a solid-state reaction of metallic magnesium powder, gallium sesquioxide and sodium amide in a stainless steel autoclave at a relatively low temperature (400–550 °C). The structures and morphologies of the obtained products were derived from X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). XRD patterns indicated that the products were hexagonal GaN (JCPDS card no. 76-0703). The influence of reaction temperature on size of the products was studied by XRD and TEM. Furthermore, the thermal stability and oxidation resistance of the nanocrystalline GaN were also investigated. It had good thermal stability and oxidation resistance below 800 °C in air.

Plasma electrolyticoxidation (PEO) of titanium in sodium metasilicate at 200 mA/cm2 is investigated using real-time imaging and optical emission spectroscopy. It has been detected that during the PEO process the size of microdischarges becomes larger, while the number of microdischarges is reduced. The species and their ionization states present in PEO microdischarges are identified. The species originate both from titanium anode and from the electrolyte. The spectral line shape analysis of hydrogen Balmer line Hβ (486.13 nm) indicates the presence of two types of microdischarges during PEO. The discharges are characterized by relatively low electron number densities of Ne = 3.8 × 1015 cm-3 and Ne = 4.5 × 1016 cm-3. For electron temperature (Te) measurement we used Ti I lines at 398.18 nm and 501.42 nm and obtained Te in the range of 3700 ± 500 K. Surface coatings formed by PEO process were characterized by AFM, SEM-EDX and XRD. The main elemental components of PEO coatings are Ti, Si and O. The PEO coatings are partly crystallized and mainly composed of anatase, rutile, and amorphous SiO2.